Game On! 4 0
by nordiamus
Summary: Harriett Potter's previous life didn't ended quite as expected, and now she's back as her own descendant to help another hero - and fulfill her own mission. Of course, things probably won't be easy, as even the gods don't know what to expect now that the world's Fate has been thrown into disarray by Shadow's very own brand of Chaos... fem!Harry, MoD!Harry, gamer!Harry
1. Game On 40 Intro

**Hi!**_ So here is the start of Shadow's new adventure... If you haven't read Game On 3.5 I recommend you do since it does the groundwork for the baisis of this world!  
Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

****Intro****

"Hey jiji..."  
"Yes Naruto?"  
"Can you help me with my words?"  
"Sure, but why the sudden interest?"  
"It's because of the green words, it's so annoying, I don't understand what they mean!"  
"The green words?" the old, gray haired man didn't drop his pipe, but his eyebrow did rose in intrigue at the affirmation  
"Yeah, you know the green words around!" the kid nodded, hands flying wildly around  
"Ah... I'm afraid I don't have green words, Naruto."

"Er? How come? Is that why the teachers were even meaner than usual when I asked about it?"  
Sarutobi Hiruzen hid a sigh at the innocent comment – even if orders had been given out, people did enjoy toeing the line, and punishing the civilians excessively wasn't something he could afford in a village that was barely getting up from near destruction, they needed the income, quite simply.  
"Here," he gestured the kid over, taking him on his laps "can you draw the words you didn't understand?"  
The small blond nodded enthusiastically, and painstakingly drew the green words he saw in his field of vision...  
"Uh, I'd forgotten it would be romaji..." the old man mumbled, before reading aloud

****[Welcome to Chaos Game 4.0  
Uzumaki Edition]****

"You know about the clans of Konoha?" he chose to ask while deciding about how to best explain the situation  
"Er... yeah?"  
"Remember I told you you weren't supposed to ask about somethings..."  
"Like that girl's white eyes, but she's not blind!"  
"Yes, like little Hyuuga Hinata eyes." Hiruzen sighed at the blunt answer "Because traditionally, clan's member don't share their secrets."  
"Alright?"  
"Well this is your clan secret."  
"Eh? What do you mean, my clan?"  
"You," the old man explained with a smile, tracing with a gentle finger the swirl present on all the boy's clothes - something he'd personally ensured "are Uzumaki Naruto. Your parents may not be alive, it doesn't mean they didn't love you."  
"You don't know that." the little boy contradicted with a frown "You told me you didn't know who they were." he eyed the other suspiciously "You lied?"  
"I did." the other admitted "But now that your inheritance has awakened, I can't anymore."  
"Why?"

Old eyes gleaming with regrets, as he engulfed the small child in a hug as he started to cry and tempest against him.  
"To protect you, Naruto." he eventually answered as the blond finally calmed down "Because people could be even meaner..."  
"Why? They didn't like my parents?"  
"On the contrary Naruto, they loved them, and people do strange things for love."  
"Oh. Grown ups are strange."  
"But your parents loved you, and from one of them, you inherited a secret, just like the other clan child."  
Taking a scroll from his large desk, he unrolled him to point at a map.  
"Here. This is Konoha..."  
"I recognize the leaf symbol!" the boy smiled proudly  
"Exactly. Do you recognize something else?"  
The boy eyed the map a moment – then his eyes widened...  
"This! It's on my clothes, isn't it! And also on the shinobi uniforms!"

"This is the symbol of Uzushiogakure. They were a shinobi village allied to Konoha since it's creation, this is why our shinobi have their symbol." A smile "Most of the shinobi in Uzushio were also part of the same clan... The Uzumaki Clan."  
The blue eyes of the young child grew wide in wonder "Wow! Does it mean I come from an awesome clan, eh, eh, jiji?"  
"It does, indeed, Naruto."  
The enthusiasm quickly calmed down, as the child suddenly realized a problem.  
"Wait... I've never met any other Uzumaki..."  
"That's because you're the last one in the village." Hiruzen answered, rather sad to cause the unusual expression of anguish on the usually happy little blond "Uzushiogakure was destroyed during the Second Shinobi War." he explained "We arrived too late to save them, and the survivors mostly went into hiding ever since."  
"Destroyed? But... Why?"  
"Because people were afraid of them." the old man answered, more for himself now than the child, eyes turning toward his memories "Because they were too powerful, yet too small to defend themselves." a sigh "We tried to save them, but were too late."  
"Oh..."

The child was still unusually depressed, learning in the same moment that he had a clan, but was all that was left of it had been hard on the orphan. Pushing his memories of the failed expedition to save their ally, Hiruzen went back to the original topic.  
"You know, I've told you this was you clan secret, yet I'm not an Uzumaki."  
"Sure but... you're old, you know everything!"  
The old man laughed "It's not quite true I'm afraid. But my teachers were the first and second Hokage..."  
"Woah, really? You're actually awesome, jiji?"  
A laugh "Well, I told you only the best shinobi could become Hokage." he reminded the blond "Anyway, the Shodaime, Hashirama Senju, was married to an Uzumaki."  
"Wow? Really?"  
"Yes. Mito-sama was a very strong woman, and while she never was my sensei, she never turned me away from her house even after her husband's death. When Uzushiogakure fell, she called for me and told me a bit about her clan's inheritance."  
"Why?"  
"Well, for you I guess."  
"What? How could she know me?"  
"She didn't know you, but she realized that with the clan gone, there maybe other little boys or girls around who'd see green words and don't understand why."  
"Wow. That old lady was awesome too!"

¤.¤.¤

It was a few months later.  
Sarutobi Hiruzen, Hokage of Konoha had been stunned with how far Naruto had come in such a small lapse of time – the teachers had all but given up on making the hyperactive blond learn to read, but the boy had caught up with the other children now that he had an interest in learning.  
"Say jiji?"  
"Yes Naruto?"  
"Who's that?"  
The old man, turned his head to eye the boy Naruto was pointing at.  
The boy was a few years older than Naruto himself, with dark spiky haired tied in the back, and startling green eyes. Despite being only seven, the boy also had the Leaf hitai-ate tied around his neck, marking him as an official shinobi of Konoha.  
"This is Nara Ren." he answered, wondering what had caught the attention of the blond that was eyeing the older boy quite intently

Intently enough, that Naruto dropped down from the tall stool on which he'd impatiently been waiting for his ramen, and stalked toward the dark haired boy, stopping just before him and looking at him right into the eyes. The Nara boy was rather strange, Hiruzen remembered – because he was born with red mark on his cheek reminiscent of the ones of the Inuzuka, mark the dog loving clan apparently recognized, and which in turn made them afford him as much respect as their clan head. He also had a green leaf eerily like that of Konoha inked on his brow, that mark too there from birth.  
The strange occurrence had been reported to the Hokage, of course – but they had found no trace of meddling from Orochimaru, and a spy that young and conspicuous would be all but useless...  
"You're not an Uzumaki."  
"I'm not." the other confirmed amicably, making the Hokage relax – the Nara weren't stupid, he knew, but Ren was one the numerous orphans made by the Kyuubi nearly four years before

"Then why does the green words say you're like me?"  
Both Nara and Sarutobi eyes' widened at the affirmation, and the green-eyed boy mumbled "Oh, so you're of the __bambina's__ descendants, er... Or Fate's chosen, maybe?"  
Seeing the bowls arriving on the counter, Hiruzen called "Come Naruto, and introduce me your new friend."  
The boy obeyed the implied order, taken a seat near the old man and the young boy, greeting him with a "Hokage-sama."  
"So..." the village leader said softly as soon as Naruto was busy eating "I know your parents well-enough to know they weren't unfaithful, so how did you come by an Uzumaki inheritance?"  
The green eyes that paused on him, as if assessing him, were far older than any seven year old eyes' ought to be, then after a long moment, the boy answered "Do you believe, Hokage-sama?"  
"Believe?" the old man took an instant before realizing what he meant "are you talking about the gods?"  
A smile.  
The gray man took his time to answer.

"We shinobi have abilities that normal men think of like magic." he eventually answered "So it would be easy to think ourselves superior and deny anything else..." he mused "But I've seen people perform acts even chakra couldn't explain... I couldn't say that I believe in any particular god, but I do believe we aren't all that there is in the world."  
The young shinobi smiled in what was clear approval "Then you haven't grown arrogant despite your powers and position." he praised, before adding toward Naruto "Would you like to hear a story?"  
Given the enthusiastic approval his suggestion was met with, the trio was soon heading toward the small, nearly derelict flat the orphan was living in alone since a few weeks ago, when the Hokage had realized the orphanage had thrown him out...  
"Once upon a time, a long long time ago, before the Sage of the Six Path and the shinobi, the world was a very different place..." a smile "There was no chakra in this world, but there was magic..." Ren started "But not everyone could use magic, so the people grew jealous. Eventually the witches and wizards decided to hide themselves from the jealous people..."  
"But why? Couldn't they make people leave them alone with their magic?"  
"Because they were powerful but there wasn't many of them."

"Powerful but not enough?" Naruto remembered "Should have Uzushiogakure hidden themselves?"  
"Maybe..." Ren shrugged "But you know, hiding yourself all the time is tiresome after awhile, and it isn't a perfect solution."  
"So what happened?"  
"Some people didn't like to hide, and decided they were better than those that didn't have magic. But not everyone agreed and so there was war..."  
"Oh! Like did they use powerful technique and..."  
"Ah ah ah," Ren stopped him "Remember there wasn't chakra back then. Do you know what chakra is?"  
"Er... the thingy that makes awesome technique?"  
The fond smile was rather unexpected on the rather serious face of the black-haired boy, but then again, Hiruzen remembered, Ren lived with the Nara Clan head, who was his direct uncle, and as such was used to live with a young child "Chakra is a mix of physical and spiritual energy. But magic was different, magic was the power of the mind." he explained "But it was still pretty impressive, they could control the element just like with jutsu..."  
"Oh... And then?"

"There was a young couple in this war, just out of the school for witches and wizards, and decided not to let the bad guy win. They fought against him not once, or even twice but three times!"  
Around the young Nara, the shadows were starting to move, Hiruzen noted, surprised, the shapes of people fighting appearing on the wall behind him under Naruto's wide eyes...  
"And then, Fate decide to sent help. A child would be born, who could win against the bad guy!"  
The shadows were showing the couple, now with a baby.  
"But the bad guy found out, and decide to kill the baby before it was too late. He went to the couple's house, killed the father first, then went into the room, and killed the mother..." by now, Naruto was nearly hidden under his covers, eyes wide and expecting  
"And then, when he tried to kill the baby with a spell that no one could win against..." he clapped loudly in his hands, making the blond jump "BOOM! The house was destroyed, the bad guy disappeared, and only the baby was left."

"But how?"  
"That's the question, eh?" a wink "People in the magical world were happy, with the bad guy gone, the war was over... And meanwhile, the baby was sent to the only family she had left, her uncle and aunt, people that didn't have magic." a sigh "Because the little girl was magical, she was different, and so they didn't like her a lot. They only saw her as a freak, a trouble-maker, a waste of space..." he quoted  
Naruto eyes widened in recognition at the familiar slurs, and he became even more interested.  
"And what happened to her?" he whispered  
"She grew up alone, bullied by her cousin. And one day..." a large silhouette appeared near the little form that was the girl "A giant came, and took her to the magic school."  
"Yatta!"

"The little girl didn't really like the magic school at first."  
"What? But why?"  
"Because the bad guy had disappeared against her, people were always staring at her and whispering. It wasn't hate anymore, but it wasn't very fun either..."  
"Oh." Naruto was frowning "Being popular can be annoying too?"  
"It can." Ren nodded "Have you ever seen a Uchiha run from fan-girls?"  
"I've seen them! It's funny!"  
"For you, but do they look like they enjoy it?"  
Understanding dawned on the blond "Nuh uh, they were annoyed. One of them threatened to fry me the next time I told the fan-girls where they were..."  
"Exactly. Except the girl couldn't run away, she was just a young witch, and everyone else had magic just like her." a smile "But after a while people started to get used to see her, and so they left her alone, and she finally manage to make friends."

Two more silhouettes rose in the shadows "The girl and her two friends were very curious, and they realized that some things strange were going around the school..." the shadows rose more ominous "The bad guy wasn't dead, he had lost his body but was trying to come back!"  
Naruto shrunk back.  
"The teacher didn't believe them, so they decided to go by themselves under the school, working together to tame wild beasts, dangerous plants, and other traps, and confront the bad guy..."  
"Oh! Did they win?"  
"They did." Ren confirmed "But only because they were lucky." a shrug "You see, there was an old man, very respected, that knew that the girl had been sent to save them, but because she was young he wanted her to have fun, not fight bad guys."  
"But if she didn't fight, the bad guy would have come back?"  
"Exactly." the shadow user confirmed "But this was a world where children didn't fight, only adult did, so they didn't want to teach a child... Except the bad guy didn't care about how young the girl was, year after year, he tried again and again, and eventually, he managed to come back."

The blond let out a startled gasp "And the girl?"  
"She survived." Ren reassured him "But now people had realized that she had been right all along, so they wanted her to save them..."  
"Couldn't they fight themselves?"  
"They didn't want to, they were too afraid of the bad guy."  
"But it was alright for the little girl to fight?" Naruto, as young as he was, easily understood that this wasn't right  
"Well she had been sent for that." Ren quoted "So it was alright if she fought." a sigh "She didn't really like those people, but she had friends now, a lot of them, so she decided to fight for them."  
Naruto nodded eagerly, waiting for the continuation.  
"Eventually, with her friends, they managed to figure why the bad guy hadn't died the first time, he had cut his soul in pieces, and hidden them away..."  
Several items appeared in the shadows, and Hiruzen eyeing them, couldn't help but shift uncomfortably at the serpentine figure "One after the other, they hunted the soul bits and destroyed them, before going back to the magic school, where people were ready to fight against the bad guy."

"I thought the children didn't fight in this world?"  
"Usually. But eventually, the children realized the adults weren't fighting back, nor teaching them how to fight back, so they decided to do things themselves."  
The blond nodded enthusiastically.  
The hokage was more thoughtful - clearly, the young generation taking things in it's own hands was rather positiv from them; but it was also a clear proof that the elders had failed in their duty of protecting and teaching the children...  
This tale was that of a broken society, even if the dark-haired shinobi wasn't saying it, and saving them from one bad guy wouldn't be enough to change it. The old man focused back on the story.  
"The battle started, and it wasn't going very well for the good guys. They were young, and nobody had trained them..." the child eyed him worryingly "And in the middle of the battle, the bad guy made everyone stop, telling them they were losing. That was when the little girl realized why they weren't wining..."  
The shapes of the battle receded, leaving only the girl.  
"They had missed a little bit of soul, that the bad guy himself hadn't realized he had lost because he'd already cut his soul so much."  
The Hokage realized where the young shinobi was going with this – and the girl that had reminded him of Naruto in her younger years was now reminding him of another, older blond. Another hero.

"The bad guy had left a piece of soul in the girl. So she went, and let him kill her, making him mortal once more."  
Naruto gasped loudly, eyes wide in horror, tear visibly gathering in the two blue pools...  
"But the girl woke up. The old man, that hadn't trained her, had known from the start she would need to die... But he also loved her like a grand-child even if they weren't blood related, and so, he had found items left behind on Earth by Death himself, and gave them to her without telling her."  
A loud, relieved sigh.  
"The little girl was a hero. And she realized that it wasn't as fun at all as in the story, it was more scary... That's when Chaos came to her." a smile "He and the other gods had watched her struggles, and humans weren't suppose to win against Death, so they invited her."  
"She became a god?"

"She became a god who would help heroes." Ren nodded "She went back again and again, to find the people chosen by Fate to help them, so that when they found their own bad guys, they wouldn't found themselves alone, and without training."  
"Oh wow!"  
"And Chaos, because he liked to have fun, gave her something called ****Chaos********Game******."**  
"Ah! So that's why you also have it? Are you a hero?"  
Ren laughed "No I'm not, I'm her husband."  
"Er? But where is she then?"  
"She hasn't been born yet." Ren answered, eyeing his mate and bonding mark  
"But how come I have ****Chaos********Game**** too?"  
"Because you're one of her descendants from her last life." a wink "After all, she doesn't just come to do a hero's job instead of him, she gets reborn, have a new family and friends each time... And sometimes, she even gets married and have children, just like in the stories."  
"Wait wait wait, you mean that the girl hero was my many many many time ancestor?"  
"Exactly." Ren smiled "This is why all the Uzumaki have their own version of ****Chaos********Game******."** a wink  
The little boy smiled sleepily "I hope she gets born soon..."  
"So do I." the Nara shinobi confirmed with a worried smile the already sleeping boy didn't see

¤.¤.¤

A smile Hiruzen did pick on.  
"A goddess to help heroes, eh? So what about you?"  
"A man too stubborn to let even Death separate us." Ren commented with an amused smile  
"Not a mortal anymore then." the other easily understood – her wasn't renowned as the Professor for nothing after all  
"My body is just as mortal as anyone else's." the young shinobi pointed out easily  
"You are revealing your secrets pretty easily?"  
A shrug.  
"I didn't even try to hide them from uncle. The Nara are much too intelligent to be talked around, and you aren't renowned as The Professor for nothing." he admitted "Besides... Naruto has a difficult destiny ahead."  
"So he's not really her descendant?"  
"Oh he is." Ren contradicted "But he is also one of Fate's Chosen."  
The Hokage smiled, amused "To think Jiraya was convinced it was his father." his eyes grew worried "Still... Isn't the burden he already bears enough?"

"Hero isn't an easy job." the dark-haired shinobi simply answered "And they're never forced into anything."  
"Which is why you didn't tell him?"  
"He'll have to decide by himself whether he wants to fight or not." the Nara agreed "But he's too much like her to try and escape his fate."  
"There's more to it, isn't there?" the Hokage realized, as the boy still look too worried for his current revelations to be the only one  
"Godly Powers aren't meant to be used in the Mortal Realms, but sometimes... It can't be helped."  
The Hokage didn't ask the young boy to elaborate, knowing that he would when needed.  
After that, Naruto had gone out of his way to look for Ren quite a few times – and the shinobi always seemed to manage to make some time for the hyper-active blond. Having one more people care about him was making wonder for the young orphan, especially someone who, as old mentally as he was, was also a child – not to mention someone who knew much more about the Uzumaki inheritance than he did himself, and could as such point Naruto in the right direction with it.  
It was barely a few weeks after Ren had shared his tale with them that the Nara boy had started to display a rather unusual smile.

Naruto had been the one to explain excitedly at their next ramen date "She's born! The little girl, she's been born!"  
The old man had shared the happy grin – because as much as he worried about the coming destiny that would weigh on the little blond's shoulders, he at least knew that unlike the girl that had just been born, he already had some help assured thanks to her.  
Yes – he really looked forward to meeting the newly born goddess...  
Then, as the weeks dragged on, he realized worryingly as he spotted the young Nara when he dropped by with his team to take new missions that his smile was slipping.  
And finally, about six months after the girl's birth, it had been pure panic that had been marring the deity's face as he'd barged into his office as another team was leaving the room...  
"There's something wrong with her!" he'd affirmed urgently "She hasn't been born in the village, and someone's torturing her!"  
The affirmation worked as a cold shower, and he stopped the ANBU that had been moving to remove the young insubordinate shinobi before he could step out of the shadows.

"What can you tell me?"  
The Nara took a shuddering breath, then pointed at the ring he always wore, something rather unusual for a shinobi that the Hokage had long since picked upon.  
"She made this in our first life together..." he explained "It was back before I'd even ascended too, so she made it so I could have an idea about how she felt the world around her." at the intrigue in the other's eyes, he elaborated, not begrudging the Professor knowledge "High deities have three majors powers linked to their dominion, and gain others along the way. For Death, its powers over the soul, blood and shadows. The power over souls was the first she mastered."  
"Not unexpected given her first foe."  
"Indeed. That mastery means the __bambina__ feels all souls around them. Their name, age, life-expectancy, species, and current feelings..."  
Hiruzen's eyes widened at the affirmation.  
"That's..."

"Powerful, but it can be tuned out like any other senses." a nod from the Hokage and he forged on "This rings doesn't tell me who she is in this life, but I could feel her as soon as she was born, as well as a general direction of where she is."  
"Which is how you knew."  
A nod.  
"I can feel what she feels." he reiterated  
Hiruzen's eyes widened, remembering what he'd first affirmed.  
"Torture."  
"I wasn't sure at first, she's just a baby... But apparently, she's been pushing herself to improve faster to deflect attention from the other babies." he shuddered "She's somewhere with a lot of other children, and there is training and human experimentation going around, that's about as much as I can get." he closed his eyes "Only her soul is immortal, Hokage-sama." he reiterated  
The other closed his eyes too, sighing heavily.

"How are your skills?" he finally asked  
"Mid chuunin level." the other estimated easily  
"Get to jounin level, and I'll get you in my personal Anbu guard. Then you can go and search for her."  
As much as he wanted to protest and get out to search right now, the young boy managed to restrain himself, in a show of self-control that impressed even the Anbu that were hidden in the room.  
"Meanwhile I'll have Jiraya look into this. Do you have anything that'll make her know he's coming from you?"  
"Call her Shadow, and me Light, and she'll know."  
"This has my traitorous student mark all over." Hiruzen warned "We've been after him for years."  
"With me pointing the way, you'll find at least the place she's in."  
It had taken but weeks for Nara Ren to be at the level to take the jounin exam – then be inducted in Anbu. That was when Nara Shikaku had barged in his office in a way very reminiscent of his nephew's own way to demand to be told what the fuck was going on.

¤.¤.¤

It took much to anger the clan leader – but putting his family in harm way was a sure way to do it. With how intelligent all clan member was, no one seemed to wonder why there weren't more well-know child genius like the other clans were so proud of among the Nara. The explication was rather simple – the Nara were more intelligent, and as such they had long since realized what the others had failed to see, that all child genius became broken somewhere along the way by the harsh world shinobi lived in.  
Shikaku had no wish to see such a fate befell the nephew that was all he had left from his little sister.  
"He's got someone to find."  
The simple affirmation had stopped the Nara clan head in his tracks, and he'd asked "The little magical girl in his tales?"  
A nod.

"Oh. So there really will be war in our future yet again, huh." the jounin commander sighed  
Hiruzen echoed him – while Ren had told him war didn't follow all heroes, the young deity realized just as well as they did that their world was a violent one.  
"I guess I shouldn't slack too much on Shikamaru's training then." he whispered, before leaving – not needing to hear anymore explanation  
The Hokage was of two mind, as he realized that like always, when one clan head had acted, the two others had followed – and that the training of the youngest generation of the Nara, Yamanaka and Akimichi had been sensibly upped.  
Not enough to make anyone not looking for it realize, but still more than the usual clan training in this peace period.

As soon as Nara Ren had completed his training, he'd been given the one partner the Hokage felt he could trust with the god's quest. Hound had been a bit surprised when he'd been read in, but realizing that even if they did exist, gods didn't have that much say in the day to day life of the mortal world hadn't surprised him.  
He couldn't think of a god who could have wished for the Yondaime's death after all.  
And knowing – that there really was something beyond death had been just as reassuring for him as it had been for Hiruzen, or could be for anyone who'd been a shinobi for long enough.  
Because at least now – they knew that their loved ones still had a future, even if it was in a different life.

* * *

**[******Naruto****/ Age 4 / Level 2  
****Physical Main Stat 35(42):****Strength 13(13) / Agility 10(13) / Endurance 12 (16)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 30(45): ****Intelligence 10(10) / Will 10(19) / Wisdom 10(16)  
****Social Main Stat 30(55):****Presence 10(11) / Perception 10(12) / Luck 10(32)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 118(148) / HP regen/min 1,19(1,51) / Chakra Point 175 / CP regen/min 1,75  
Damage 12,1(13) / Defense 12,3(15,1) / Reaction Speed 10,6(13,9)  
Chakra control 8(11) / Chakra Density 10(18,1) / Mind Speed 10(11,8)  
Critic Chance 0,8(1,32) / Critic Damage Multiplier 1,21(4,16), Loot Bonus 10(23,8)]


	2. I A New Life

****I. A new Life****

"You have to remember that this is your world." Chaos had warned her before the world faded to black "Using your ****Past********Life********Aura**** will probably undo most of the bindings on your soul." a sigh "And well, given that this world hold on you, it also means I can't give you much of latitude for you incarnation either, you'll probably end up in the body of your most closely related descendant that wasn't meant to live."  
Shadow couldn't quite decide if it was lucky or not, to have found a body related to not one but two of the three bloodlines she'd left on the planet.  
At first, she'd felt it lucky.  
Within weeks she'd realized that wasn't quite the case.

****[Test Subject 321****/ Age 1 / Level 1  
****Physical Main Stat 40(70):****Strength 10(21) / Agility 20(32) / Endurance 10 (17)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 30(55):****Intelligence 10(23) / Will 10(16) / Wisdom 10(16)  
****Social Main Stat 30(62): ****Presence 10(18) / Perception 10(19) / Luck 10(25)  
****Secondary Stat:****  
Health Points 120(208) / HP regen/min 1,21(2,1) / Chakra Point 208 / CP regen/min 2,1  
Damage 13(24) / Defense 10(18) / Reaction Speed 17(28)  
Chakra control 8(16) / Chakra Density 10(16) / Mind Speed 10(21)  
Critic Chance 0,8(2,9) / Critic Damage Multiplier 1,3(6,1), Loot Bonus 10(22)]

She'd been born with all her****Soul Imprint**** visible – the illusionary pearl gifted by Shippou several lifetimes ago not able to adapt immediately to the world filled with natural energy, but she had been expecting it with the way she'd been warned her soul was still vastly attuned to this world but not it's powers.  
Then, she realized how deeply in trouble she was.  
Human manipulations – she'd seen and stopped a few of them along the centuries, but it was the first time she was the victim.  
While she had no intention of staying and playing the damsel in distress, she was currently stuck in the body of a baby – and, she realized after a while, far from the only victim of whatever mad man whose clutches she was in. With that, her decision had been made – there was no way she was leaving all those children behind.

By the time she was sixth months, she'd managed to make herself visible enough to the man overseeing the multiple experiments that he'd singled her out, which was exactly what she had been aiming for – because all they did to her, she spared the others from.  
By the time she was one year old, the older children had realized what she was doing, an tried to stop her. By the year and a half mark, they went from trying to stop her to helping her.  
None of them had a name of course, they weren't worth something like that – so they decided to give themselves some.  
A three year old black-haired girl had all but proclaimed herself her right hand – with a keen intelligence and ability to manipulate ice and shadows, she'd given the little violet-eyed child the name Ayame.  
Even if he wasn't quite as intelligent, five year old Isao, with his deep violet hair and sparkling eyes was their protector, often managing to shield the younger from whatever atrocity their jailers came up with, and probably the one who got the more punishment from them, while she focused on getting the brunt of their attention when it came to the experimentation themselves, since she knew she had a far better chance of surviving than the others.

None of the children had been meant to survive, the goddess clearly realized.  
Yet, despite what her role as Death's sister demanded, she couldn't bring herself to let them go, and she knew that far more of the children would have died without her interference – and in a sense, maybe it was cruel of her to save them when it only condemned them to more suffering, but she just couldn't help herself...  
As for herself, the child had taken to call her Yagami – not too surprising given that they'd seen her use the shadows she wasn't supposed to have.  
For Yagami herself, it was rather frustrating – even if this time, since she had a new body, she did possess the necessary chakra pathway that she's so sorely lacked in her previous life, most of her ****Past********Life**** abilities were still hampered by this world's make up.  
Between Hagaren and the Earth of old, her powers had been able to easily adapt themselves, the elemental flows of alchemy similar enough to the Ley Lines of her birth planet – but the new way energy flowed in this post-disaster planet was so different she was having to take all her abilities back to the basics.  
Her blood manipulation, even if it wasn't quite as versatile as before, worked much the same way as regular elements worked, and she had the necessary knowledge about her own body that the **Shape**-**shifting** talent was still accessible, if a bit restricted by her young age.

But her black flames more useful abilities were all but unattainable – instead, she could feel the shadows answer her call just like they did Ayame, and knew she could eventually manage to open a way between places, be them in the Mortal or Immortal Realm... But not with the current knowledge she had about the way this world worked.  
Which meant that she was just as stuck as the rest of the children.  
Things had changed since the days of Hagoromo, and she wasn't much surprised to realize that his peaceful ways hadn't held, instead leading to the humans making of the ninshu he'd taught a weapon of war thanks to ninjutsu.  
None of them knew much about the outside world, all their knowledge gained from listening to the scientists and shinobi experimenting on them or training them. Most of the children were seen as expandable, apart for the few that had displayed that they had gained new traits from the experimentation, just like Ayame and Isao or Yagami herself, but even the privileged ones were still submitted to the same harsh and merciless training as the others.

All was made to make them turn against the others, and learn to care only for themselves – and it would have probably worked, if not for the young goddess example.  
But the children realizing they were getting manipulated also meant they rebelled more – and as such were punished more. Letting them submit to the brainwashing and manipulations would probably have been less painful physically for them, Yagami realized – but no less dangerous, as they would have become the tools of a mad man.  
She was just over two when the leader of the team that had been experimenting on them finally took note of the unexpected success-rate their little group of test subject was having compared to the others...  
After that, things got worse.

¤.¤.¤

"There's something ahead." Hound, or rather Hatake Kakashi, since they'd long since put away their mask with how long their mission was taking, indicated "Two beasts, feels like Inuzuka nin-ken or something similar, one tall enough to be one of their grown dog, the second about the size of a regular dog, but no one's around them."  
Ren paused.  
If he'd unlocked as a****Past********Life********Perk**** the same shape-shifting his wife already had, he was far behind her for now – and as such, even if in time he'd be able to completely shift back to the daiyoukai humanoid form of his previous life, and with that gain back the keen sense of canine, he just wasn't there yet and despised every minute of it.  
"Let's get closer." Jiraya commented "I haven't heard of Orochimaru getting interested in any summon but his snakes, nor experimenting on nin-animals."  
Soon they were approaching the pair of canine the Anbu had spotted first, and the youngest of the three felt his heart speed up as he recognized them.  
"Padfoot, Blanche!"  
Both recognized him at the same time, and the ten year old was dropped to the ground as he was enthusiastically greeted by the large Grimm and young wolf.  
"Yeah, yeah, sorry for taking so long." he commented as he managed to push them back, stopping the other two from attacking "We're looking for your mistress."

Two whines.  
"Yeah, I know, not good." Ren sighed "I came as soon as I could, but them changing her location several times this last year hasn't helped." another whine, and the large dog was all but dragging him "Uh, so you've found the entrance of the base. Come!" the shinobi encouraged his two partners  
"So... what's with the two beasts?"  
"A god's holy servants." Ren answered, earning two surprised glance from the dog and wolf "What, I had to convince the village to let me out to find the __bambina__!"  
A growl.  
"Yeah, I know, I'm never one to hamper myself with rules." Ren nodded, thankful he'd retained his beast language mastery "But well, the __bambina's__ latest charge is in the village you know, it was more convenient." a shrug "And being lawful in this era is far easier than it was back in the District days."  
Jiraya sighed loudly, but proceeded to follow the two canine, the gray-haired young adult following suit "You know kid, I was far more impressed by the gods before I met you." he sighed "But I hope your little goddess is beautiful at least."  
"She's three, old pervert." the Nara sighed as they arrived to a clearing – then a cave hidden behind powerful genjutsu

"Well, seems like the dog didn't lie, there's the base entrance." the sannin mused, catching Ren by the collar "Hold your horses kid, you know the standard procedure."  
Ren sighed, but forcibly calmed himself – the older man was right, charging ahead in an unknown situation would be stupid, but it was hard to stay rational when he both felt his wife's torment, and how close she was.  
Jiraya, Kakashi and Ren had been tracking the youngest's mate for nearly two year, first the two young Anbu meeting with the spy-master when he had a new lead, then nearly non-stop since about nine months ago, when they'd nearly gotten the girl – arriving but a few days too late in a cleaned out base.  
Even with all the test data and all paper trail gone, it was easy to realize what had been going on in the labs, as they hadn't bothered to clear out the failed tests – and had even finished off some of the children left behind in their cells before leaving, probably not deeming them necessary anymore.  
From what they managed to piece together, there were probably three dozen test subjects missing, the young goddess among them.  
Since then they'd tracked her to five more labs, three of them just as empty as the first, the last two currently being emptied by the Konoha team that always followed one of their assault – and this time, the cleaning team job's didn't only consist in giving a decent grave to the dead children.  
From what they'd gathered, the girl was one of the few successful test subject for kekkai genkai experimentation, like the other children with whom she was – and Ren suspected the only reason those experimentation were even successful was because of his mate's meddling.

More importantly, Orochimaru himself had taken a particular interest in the children, and the goddess in particular, probably having realized too the reason for their success must be hidden in one of the children...  
The trio went through the usual procedure – a small toad summoned by their sage told to put the cleaning team on alert, and a medical team too. The toad wasn't too surprised, it was after all the seventh base they were attacking.  
After that, they'd taken a few days to watch how often the watch was relieved, and which kind of defenses they could expect from the place – and finally started their assault.  
Jiraya had been the one to start things off with a bang – quite literally, as he'd called one of his toads to do a combination attack that had shook the base on its foundations, opening a large hole directly into the deepest levels and causing pandemonium, and Orochimaru himself had answered to the attack, jumping out of the hole to face his ex team-mate, a deranged look on his serpentine face. The supporting team they'd asked for had immediately started to assist the Sannin, while Hound and his partner, mask back on, took advantage of the chaos to delve into the depths of Orochimaru's base.

The room they barged in had the usual whiteness associated with hospitals – and two child were struggling to keep upright, protecting a third, even smaller silhouette behind them.  
"Keep away!" the boy warned them, a scalpel filched on one of the nearby operation table in hand  
"We're here to help, kid." Hound said first in a soothing tone  
"How do we know?"  
"She would know." Raven assured them in the same tone as his partner  
"She's not in a state to know anything right now!" the girl bite out "If you know her, you must know how to prove it!"  
"I'm Light. And she's Shadow."  
It was as if someone had cut all the strings keeping a pair of puppets upright as both children collapsed near the third, unconscious body "It was the worst time yet this time!" the girl sobbed "He didn't stop even when the anesthesia wore off and she woke up! He didn't stop when she was screaming... and he didn't stop when she stopped screaming..."

Ren had already jumped toward them, mask to the side revealing his face, further reassuring the two child who recognized the symbols on his face, hands lightning in yellow flames "Call the medic team, Hound!" Seeing the other seemed frozen into place "**Hound**!" this time, the other Anbu reacted, soon coming back with help  
The medic-nin gently pushed Ren to the side, getting to work, while his team-mates took care of the other child – and after what seemed like hours, but only lasted half of that "I've stabilized her, but getting her to Konoha's hospital quickly would be better."  
"Take the notes." the black-haired girl pointed "They should tell what he's done to us... to her..."  
The two Anbu followed the medic-nin carrying the small body, each of them carrying one of the two remaining child, and trying to push the state his _bambina_ was in from his mind, Ren tilted his head toward his partner, that was still looking shell-shocked "What happened, Kakashi?"  
"I could smell it as soon as we entered the room." the other answered  
"Smell what?"  
"A pup... a child." the gray-haired answered "Mine."  
Ren eyes widened as he realized what the other was saying.  
"Your little mate, Ren. She's my daughter somehow."

¤.¤.¤

Naruto had been waiting by the village gate, and Ren couldn't say if it was some instinct, or ****Chaos********Game**** that had directed him there – but the young blond was there, and his happy hopeful eyes had grown wide as he saw the three child being carried inside, one of them still not awake.  
The blond Uzumaki had followed in uncharacteristic silence, waiting by the two Anbu's side as they waited outside the room where the medics were taking care of her.  
"Kakashi-kun, Ren, you're back."  
"Hokage-sama." both whispered out of habit, not even turning toward him  
"Jiraya already reported what happened." a sigh "Between those last three bases you've saved nearly twenty children."  
"And how many more died?" Kakashi wondered bitterly  
"Too many." Hiruzen agreed "But that sin rests on Orochimaru's shoulders, not yours."  
"That man will die for what he's done." Ren promised  
"He will." the village's leader agree with a heavy sigh "But don't let your thirst for revenge blind you."  
"She needs me more than I need my revenge..." the young Nara agreed "She'll need all of us." he amended

"According to the report..." there the hokage trailed of, unsure how to proceed  
"I know she's mine." Kakashi provided  
"She's yours, and an Uzumaki by birth, and an Inuzuka by experimentation." the old man explained "Orochimaru thought by trying to implement similar bloodlines he'd be more susceptible to succeed." a sigh "The other girl is a Nara and Yuki and the boy is a Hoseki." Ren wasn't too surprised, having recognized the other girl for kin already - between her keen intellect and rather familiar features, it wasn't that hard to guess "And I doubt any of them is fit for normal life right now."  
"They've been trained from birth." Kakashi tightly commented "That, and tortured, and brainwashing has been attempted repeatedly." he said, remembering the tidbits the girl had shared as they rushed back toward Konoha  
It took several more days before Yagami awakened.  
In the meantime, Isao and Ayame had been given a clean bill of health – but both had refused to leave their friend behind. Given the fragile state of mind both were, safety measures had been taken in the form of a permanent rotary of Anbu, and they'd been authorized to stay in the hospital room.  
Yagami had woken up in the middle of the night.  
Her first move had been to look for Isao and Ayame – then, seeing both sleeping rather peacefully by her side, she calmed down, eyeing the room critically, eyes pausing on Ren, that had startled awake with her, and Kakashi, who'd been but a few heartbeat later in awakening, so in-tune was he with his Anbu partner's movement.

The green eyes that were staring at them weren't those of any of the __bambina's__ incarnation he'd ever know, Ren realized, they were the eyes Luna had talked about, the Avada Kedavra green eyes Harriet Potter had after she'd woken up from the death spell for a second time, not even the speckle of gold from Ariana and Tsukiko remaining.  
They were also just as empty as Harriet Potter's eye had been, as she woken up from death to bury the countless deaths of the war against Voldemort.  
"Nineteen children, you three excluded." he stated, gaining her attention "Alive."  
She nodded, but he could see her feelings clearly enough – hadn't he complained just the same a few days earlier?

"I've felt it you know..." he added "That none of them were mine."  
She nodded, not too surprised. After all, just as she could feel the child were meant to die, of course he could feel they weren't meant to be alive.  
"Most of the other children have been taken in by the clans." he said "Some of the old generation made some noise about experimentation not being theirs, but when faced with the option of their bloodline out of their hands, they retracted all their complains pretty quickly and submitted themselves to the daily check-up on the children." a shrug "Of course, we were lucky no Uchiha or Hyuuga were found, because they would have kicked a fuss not worth the trouble."  
She smiled weakly, and he stopped in his track.  
"Wait there's one?'  
A nod, and a waving gesture "Uh but the result hasn't awakened for now. Alright, then better we don't say anything then, we'll deal with the consequences once they awaken their ayes, if it happens." he sighed, making a note mentally to put it on the Anbu report for them to be ready to deal with the consequences later on, before getting to the window, opening it – the next second a black and white shadows had jumped in, Padfoot having shrunken himself to Blanche's own size for practical reasons.

Yagami smiled, relief evident in her eyes as she was enthusiastically assaulted by the two canine, the agitation waking up the two children by her side.  
"Yami!" Ayame greeted in a low voice filled with warmth, Isao simply smiling widely  
The black-haired girl stared at her friend with wide eyes full of unshed tears "I really thought you wouldn't wake up this time, you were nearly dead!" she shuddered "I felt you heart stop! Several times!"  
Sensing her distress, Padfoot turned from his mistress to eye to the nearly wailing child, who'd long since learned to cry in silence, and with an authoritative move, dropped his heavy head in her laps, eyeing her with wide eyes.  
She laughed a midst the tears "That's mental manipulation, mutt."  
The indignation on Padfoot's face was impossible to miss, and made her laugh even more – as for Blanche, she ignored her elder co-familiar and instead continued to focus her attention on her mistress, nuzzling her like a worried mother.

In the following days, the young goddess' health had rapidly improved – but it was clear that the mental trauma, she wouldn't get over just yet, just like all the rescued children.  
Her hair, that had been the famous bright red of the Uzumaki since birth, had receded into white, something the doctors hadn't been that surprised about. It was apparently, a symptom a few shinobi that had gone under similar torture or mental shock sometime developed.  
She still hadn't talked – or rather, Ren had noted quickly, she wasn't talking to humans, as he realized her body language was very familiar. Probably in a last ditch attempt to protect herself and the children she was protecting, she'd receded to primitive canine instincts, and was just as loath to let her two friends out of her sight as they were reluctant to leave her, treating them as young pups of a pack.  
Logically, she was proving wary but not aggressive of the people she saw when he was present, but down right hostile if he disappeared.  
He didn't understand how the instincts that should have been left behind with Taishou Tsukiko's death could have survived – but then again, they'd been told that no one knew what to expect of her reincarnating in a world of which she was a direct deity...  
After all, gods weren't suppose to die and reincarnate since they were immortals - as such the current situation had never occurred before, and even the high god in the Immortal Realm were in the dark about what could happen.

Kakashi, Ren noted, was having quite a few problems with his own instincts battling with his mind – on one hand, he wanted to take care of the little girl all the canine gene in his bloodline told him was him, on the other hand his mind was screaming at him he was about the worst person for the job, since he was still having trouble getting over the loss of everyone he'd ever cared about.  
In his own strange happy medium, the Anbu had taken to watch over the girl in silence from the window sill.  
Yagami of course knew the other was there, and who he was, given that her senses were as acute as any canine with both Hatake and Inuzuka Inheritances – but her own lack of reaction about his presence was as good as acceptance from her part.  
Within a week, the three child were out of the hospital, and the question of where to put them was raised. That was the moment Inuzuka Tsume, alpha of the clan, had finally barged in loudly.  
"Alright, so I've been patient enough with the Hokage trying to tell me how to take care of a pup as if he had a say in clan matter..." she eyed the trio "I'm Tsume, chibi alpha, and right now, you're in no state to doing your job by yourself, so I'm here to help."  
Yagami tilted her head, and eyed the other inquisitively.  
"Yeah, you outrank me." the other woman agreed easily "But right now you need help, and a good alpha knows when to bow out." a smile "I've got space for pups to run, and a den for your pack."

Ren felt tension leave him as he realized Yagami was accepting, putting a sleepy Ayame in his arms and nudging Isao on Padfoot's back, before turning toward the window – and stunning the unsuspecting Anbu by dragging him along too.  
Ren laughed as he could guess the helpless expression hidden behind the Hound mask, knowing his partner well enough.  
"You're pack." he pointed out "What did you expect?"  
The clueless head-tilt made him stumble.  
"Oh my god, you don't even realize..." he mumble "Wasn't there anyone to explain pack dynamic to you?"  
"Sakumo was a loner, and he died when the pup was young." Tsume answered "I tried to tell his jounin-sensei only an Inuzuka could help but the idiot though we only wanted to ensure that his clan was absorbed into ours." she rolled her eyes "Humans."  
"Your blood must be nearly human too by now." Ren pointed out as they exited the hospital "After all, it's been what a thousand years since the days we sent the first delegation to you?"

"About." the other agreed "But Gaia has sent a few more delegations since then, and us canine always seem to hold better to our traits than other..." a shrug "Maybe because we tend to stay together."  
"Er... What do you mean?" the gray-haired Anbu wondered  
"Quite a few of the current bloodlines come from magical beings from before the disaster." Ren explained "When we realized the planet would soon turn hostile, we left, but sent people back from time to time to check on the situation on this planet..."  
"But those that came were stuck here, only able to sent back a few message." Tsume completed "And eventually, we mixed back with the humans of the planet, loosing quite a few of our original traits."  
"Non-human?"  
"Elemental spirits for elemental bloodlines, and youkai for the more animalistic clans." the Inuzuka alpha explained "This was mostly forgotten by all, but some did remember." a smile "Us, our little Uzumaki siblings..."  
"What do you mean siblings?" a young voice interrupted

¤.¤.¤

Ren wasn't too surprised to see it was Naruto – he'd known the boy had been hanging out around the hospital in hope of seeing the little girl from his childhood tale.  
"The first Inuzuka was the elder sister of the first Uzumaki, of course." Tsume winked  
"Er... is it why the nin-ken are always calling me pup?" the child realized with wide eyes "I thought it meant I smelled like a dog and wasn't taking enough bath..."  
Laugher was heard, an Ren smiled as he realized it was coming from his mate.  
Still dragging Kakashi along, she walked toward the young child that was nearly twice her size, smiling at him before dragging his head toward her and ruffling his blond locks fondly.  
They'd arrived at the Inuzuka in nearly twice the time normally needed – but between Tsume torn between complaining about all the things Kakashi should know, and he had better learn them or else, and Naruto fast making friend with Isao and even starting to win Ayame over if only for the reason Yagami seemed to like him, they'd been rather slow.  
Naruto had dithered at the entrance of the clan, before being peremptorily dragged along just like Kakashi himself had been moments earlier.

"This room is odd." Naruto was soon saying to Ayame with a child's innocence as they entered Tsume's house and were dragged to what counted as a bedroom among the Inuzuka  
"I don't know." the other shrugged "I'm more used to cells and hospital bed." Isao nodded along  
The adults ignored the rather sad statement, knowing pitying the children was useless, and instead Ren answered "This is because its not a normal room, its a den."  
"Eh? What's a den?" a nonplussed blond wondered  
"For animals it's a hole where the mother have their litter." Ren explained "For clans like the Inuzuka, it's a room the family share."  
"Yeah." Tsume nodded "A den is important, it's where everyone sleeps and gets better." a smile "Us Inuzuka are kind of loud, so if you want to find some calm it's here you need to be, outside is for everyone to play and train and do whatever, but no roughhousing is authorized in the den."  
She smiled, and was explaining just as much to Kakashi "Most of the homes in the clan house several family units, and all have a den." her smile was less bright than usual, a hint of loneliness hidden behind the her fangs "This is the alpha den, we're in the main house, but it's not too crowed, it's only me and the pups, Hana, her triplets and Kiba, who hasn't earned his own nin-ken just yet."

She winked at the young man, who regretted having removed his Anbu mask as she added "Of course we've got a few isolated rooms too for couples who wants to enjoy some adult fun but everything else, a pack does together!"  
"Pack?"  
"That's your family, the one you have, and the one you choose." Tsume explained patiently "I'm the Prime Alpha of the Inuzuka, that means I must take care of all of them, but there are other alpha around, with their own pack, they only have to obey me when it comes to clan-wide matters." she pointed at Ren and Yagami "Those two for example are alpha too."  
"You don't have to be an adult?"  
"It's better." the clan leader contradicted "Being an alpha isn't always easy."  
"Oh... So that's why Yami-chan is all tired then, because she was doing a grown up job!"  
"Exactly."

Nothing had been said – but those that knew where to look soon realized that the small, dismal flat in the red district was all but abandoned in the following weeks, just as the cold nearly uninhabited Anbu quarter where only two old pictures, one of a man and boy with silver hair, the second of a blond man smiling brightly with his three genin-students around, could indicate who lived there...  
"The civilians are going to cause trouble when they realize what is going on." the hokage sighed tiredly, nose pinched in his wrinkled fingers  
"This is shinobi matter, they don't have a say in it." Ren pointed out rather harshly "You were lenient with them for good reasons after the attack but its been seven years now, it's past time they remember than this is a Hidden Village, not one of the Daimyo's cities."  
The old man eyes widened at the assessment. Had things really become this way? He went over the last few full council meeting, realizing that the young Nara wasn't wrong, he really had let the situation deteriorate that much...  
"I'm too old for this job." he sighed helplessly

Ren didn't contradict him – both knew it was true, Hiruzen had even retired, before his successor died on the job without anyone of the younger generation ready to take over. Of those that could have succeeded him, Hatake Sakumo had long since committed seppukku for a crime that wasn't one, Orochimaru had gone mad, or maybe had always been mad, and deserted, Senju Tsunade, his second student had all but abandoned the village too, to drown her grief in alcohol and Jiraya, while he was powerful enough, was both far too useful out of the village, and not made for the job...  
"Nobody can replace you." the young god agreed to his unvoiced inventory "But you can find people to assist you." he added "The old council is so used to nitpick every decision that they haven't been helping you in years, and most of the people in the Yondaime's own council fell to the Kyuubi's attack, or were all but forgotten... But the next generation has grown up." he reminded him "As young as he is, Kakashi isn't the only jounin of his generation anymore, there are others powerful shinobi that have risen to the challenge in the gap left by the dead..."  
Hiruzen nodded.  
They'd been forced to operate on a reduced rotary after the devastation that had been the nine-tailed fox attack, and that for so long – that he'd grown used to it by the time there were finally enough people to start upping the recruitment.

He remembered the elder Nara's comment from years ago – war.  
The old eyes seamed more alive as he smiled to Ren "I guess Tsume-san will be more than up to the task of defending the people she invited into her home to the rest of the clans."  
"Of course."  
"Well then, if you could ask your uncle to drop by as soon as possible?"  
The dark-haired boy nodded, and left by the window, making Hiruzen roll his eyes at the habit he'd definitely picked up from Kakashi, before settling in his seat, hands crossed over and eyes turned inward, thinking about his battle-plan – and he didn't doubt it would be a battle. But for the first time in years, it wasn't a battle he intended to fight alone anymore.  
"You've asked to see me, Hokage-sama?"  
"Ah Shikaku, thank you for coming so quickly."  
"Of course I did, with this idiotic nephew telling me to prepare for battle!"  
"Well he wasn't completely lying." Hiruzen smiled "The world of politic maneuvering is a dangerous battlefield after all."  
The lazy looking man gave an exaggerated shudder, but his eyes were now belying the laid back posture "Ugh. Politics. The worst of all battlefield..."  
"Which is precisely why I'll need good lieutenants."

¤.¤.¤

While in the Inuzuka compound, not only Yagami, Ayame and Isao were healing, but even Naruto and Kakashi, the village was going through an upheaval outside of the clan walls.  
Nara Shikaku's assessment had been just as pessimistic as his nephew, but he also knew where to push and where to yield to make things change without the civilian council realizing too fast they were loosing all the powers they'd appropriated when the Sandaime had taken back the reigns after the Yondaime's heroic sacrifice.  
It had started with small things omitted from the general council where both shinobi and civilians attended, to a better verification of the taxes raised that had been sorely needed – and had booted a few of the most undesirable element from the civilian council, to a reaffirmation of the Uchiha's police department duties but also rights over civilians matter.

The founding clan head's surprise at that move had worried Hiruzen, who hadn't realized relations between the old clan and the civilians had slipped that much.  
The hokage had also started assessing a bit more his relationship with his council – because old time friends he may consider them, you didn't govern a Hidden Village with only friendship and rainbows. It had been demoralizing to realize that the youngest of the two Nara he often talked with had been right – his old team-mates hadn't agreed with him, or even reasonably argued with him in years, instead seemingly all working against him in a way that would have made him suspect treason years ago if they hadn't been old friends.  
It was in this changing village that, as he was visiting with the pack of eclectic children between three and twenty-one year old living with Tsume, the three he knew for a fact shared the Uzumaki Inheritance – or rather, ****Chaos**** ****Game**** – suddenly tensed.

****[Life Quest! Tears and Blood...****  
__Something is going on in the Uchiha Clan Compound, and Konoha may well loose a clan by tomorrow if nothing is done to help__  
****Reward******: **+10XP per goal, +1 Perk Point upon completion]

"We've got to help!" Naruto said urgently, already up and running toward the Clan's main gate  
Yagami and Ren shared the kind of look only old couple can share, and she rushed behind the child.  
Isao and Ayame may not know what was going on, no question was asked as they followed the younger girl that had always been their leader.  
"Something is going on at the Uchiha Compound. Something important enough that Chaos deems it a ****Life**** ****Quest******..."**  
The hokage suddenly had a very bad feeling about the situation, and jumped to his feet too "Let's go then. A hero he maybe one day, now isn't the day I'm going to let a child do my job."  
Ren nodded approvingly, him and Kakashi following suit – and Tsume too, after shouting to her elder daughter to watch her little brother.  
Never let it be said that an Inuzuka wouldn't be there to follow the Original Alpha and watch her back!

With their training, Yagami, Ayame and Isao had soon caught up with Naruto, Padfoot nudging the boy on his back. The boy hesitated for a moment then obeyed, and the four children and two canine arrived near the Uchiha Compound mere moments before the Hokage, Anbu pair and clan head.  
The Inuzuka and Yagami's nose had already started to burn under familiar, metallic odor of blood – lots of it, and blood that had no reason to be spilled so abundantly in the middle of the peaceful village.  
Isao's bloodline came alive, crystalline kunai offered to his partners. Yagami declined, giving her own to Naruto, before a blade seemed to appear out of thin air – FuurinKiba slipping in her grip for the first time in this life.  
The Hokage was worried, but loathe to leave the children alone in this blood bath.

"Let's pair up." a voice rough with disuse suggested softly  
The old man was surprised, but nodded at the suggestion.  
The hokage himself would keep Naruto near at hand since the boy was the only one who didn't have true battle experience, Yagami after a moment of hesitation, directed Isao toward her mate, and little Ayame toward her father, before stepping toward Tsume.  
Padfoot was still serving as Naruto's mount, and the young goddess indicated that he would also keep his nose up for survivors. Blanche would do the same for Ren and Isao – while Tsume and her, on top of having the clan head four-legged partner, also had their own enhanced senses, just like Kakashi himself.  
Within seconds, the four group had taken to the roof, running through the deathly still alleys.  
Kakashi and Ren, out of habit, had circled around the same area, soon encountering signs of fighting rather than simple slaughter – and by the time they arrived to the police headquarter, it was clear the battle was still on-going, even if nearly over.

On the contrary, both the hokage and Tsume had found themselves deeper and deeper in the civilian zone, eventually catching up with the young silhouette that was methodically eradicating the old clan.  
"What is the meaning of this!" the hokage shouted as he recognized the teenager  
"I'm only doing what had to be done." Uchiha Itachi answered tonelessly "The Uchiha Clan Coup cannot be allowed to happen."  
"And this was why you came to me to find a solution!" the old man retorted hotly, stopping the young man from cutting through a young girl who was bravely protecting her baby brother with her very own body  
"And determining there was no solution, Danzo-sama gave me the order to process to the clan elimination."

"A councilman is not authorized to give such an order. Stand down!"  
The authoritative tone finally managed to break through the near daze of the young killer.  
"I... I don't understand, my orders..."  
"I never gave such order."  
The young genius eyes widened, and trapping the two young Uchiha nearby in a genjutsu, he said urgently "Hokage-sama, I was told these were your orders and the only way to protect my brother!" then, before the village's leader could answer "And so I managed to gain Konoha's greatest enemy's help by promising him revenge!"  
"Explain yourself?!"  
"A man in a mask came to me when the first talk about a coup came up, a man who hated the clan... Uchiha Madara."  
"He can't possibly be alive!"  
"Well that's the name he told me, and he's got the powers to back it up." the genius eyes were focused "And right now he's on the other side of the compound helping me carry out my orders."

"Then he's probably already encountered Kakashi-kun and Ren." the Hokage mused, brain working just as fast as the young teen in front of him "Your act is much too public to be pardoned."  
"I know. I planned to use my status as nuke-nin to spy for the village."  
"Jiraya will be told, and be ready to give you new instructions in a fortnight. Don't get caught in the meantime, and meet him at the Anbu meeting point of the day."  
"I will hokage-sama." the other promised, before taking a scroll out of one of the numerous pockets of the standard Anbu uniform "Those are the names of those that were against the coup. They will be the one you can trust."  
Hiruzen eyed the depressingly short list as the young boy fled.

"Let's go help the others." he sighed while putting away the scroll in his own clothing.  
The other nodded, and they were soon speeding toward the other side of the now nearly empty compound, where the sounds of battle were echoing.  
Seeing her mate and father in a difficult posture, not to mention the two child who'd been by her side nearly since birth, instincts took over.  
With a call of_**"Adamantine chains!" **_several golden chains burst out around her as her feet touched the ground, rushing toward the man in a mask whose lone eye was spiraling in the pattern of not simply a fully matured sharingan, but an even more evolved version of the family's famous doujutsu.  
The golden links forced the man to abort his own attack, saving a nameless Uchiha police member's live, and leaving Ren free to sent his shadows ahead.  
That was when the real problem the man represented became clear – as to avoid the attack he quite simply disappeared.  
Yagami felt annoyance bubble – here she was still having difficulty using her own black flame for their true usage, and the man just up and teleported under her nose!

Still, as strong as he was with the clear advantage of being able not only to teleport but even simply phase through the oncoming attack, it was clear the man hadn't expected nor wanted to be seen – and with a last attack too fast for even the golden chains, he was disappearing – for good this time.  
The hokage and the group had assembled the surviving Uchiha, all shell-shocked by the evening, and taken them all to the hospital, as there was no way anyone could spent the night, or even the next day in the bloody compound.  
Among the dead, the Uchiha's leader death had been rather unexpected – but when he'd realized what was going on, he'd been ready for death. He'd waited for his son to come and give the killing blow at first, then when realizing something had gone awry, he and his wife had found the few survivors of the civilian side, and happened on the on-going battle.  
When he'd seen the blade that had managed to go through the unexpectedly white-haired Uzumaki's chains – he'd jumped in the way.  
He'd lost a son when planning his coup, no way was he loosing the second because of said coup's failure.

¤.¤.¤

The four children had all assembled around the young black-haired boy still shell-shocked after watching his father fell in front of him, and as they arrived in the hospital, Naruto sighed as he watched the ****Life********Quest**** update – it was the first time the child had unlocked such an important quest, but it was a lot less fun than he'd imagined, and a lot more scary.  
He eyed the few adults being healed right in the hall, and the children younger and older than him that were comforted by whomever was the nearest...  
"Uh... You were right, Ren-nii-san," he mumbled tiredly "Being a hero isn't that fun." his tired eyes glazed on the hospital hall "But if we hadn't arrived when we did... They'd all be dead, wouldn't they?"  
Ren and Tsume shared a glance, as one of life's reality dawned on the little boy clearly for the first time.  
"They would."  
"Then it's alright. Even if it wasn't fun and easy like in the stories at the orphanage... it was more scary and serious like your stories..."  
It was hours before they managed to get back to the den, and by then all but the adults were dead asleep on their feet, so it wasn't until the next day that Naruto finally opened and acknowledged the quest's completion...

****[Life Quest Complete! Tears and Blood...****  
__Something is going on in the Uchiha Clan Compound, and Konoha may well loose a clan by tomorrow if nothing is done to help__  
****Goal complete: ****confront Uchiha Itachi  
****Goal complete: ****confront the masked Uchiha  
****Goal failed:****identify the masked Uchiha  
****Goal failed:**** save all Uchiha  
****G********oal complete:****prevent the slaughter of all the Uchiha  
****Goal failed:**** save Uchiha Itachi's reputation  
****Goal complete:****prevent Uchiha Itachi from becoming a true missing-nin  
****Reward******: **+40XP, +1 Perk Point]

****[Level up!****Naruto is now level 6!  
__+2CP, +10SP, +1PP]__

**[Perk Available:**  
**\- ******Natural********Genius********Perk****(_1PP_): +2SP per level, locks ****Hard Word Genius Perk****  
**\- ******Hard********Word********Genius********Perk****(_1PP_): +10/15/25Xp when mastering a beginner/regular/pro skill, locks ****Natural Genius Perk****  
**\- ******Chakra********Control********Perk********1/3****(_1PP_): unlocks beginner chakra control skill, improves Chakra Control secondary stat by up to 5% when mastered, unlocks **Chakra Control Perk 2/3  
******\- Special Training****(_1PP_): +2 to one MC (can be used up to 5 times per MC)  
****-Chakra Sensing****(_3PP_): unlocks the chakra sensing skill**  
******\- Child of the Elements**** (_5PP_): unlocks a double element kekkai genkai  
****\- Master of the Element****(_7PP_): unlocks a triple element kekkai genkai  
****\- Blood of the Ancestors****(10PP): unlocks a doujutsu base or youkai based kekkai genkai  
****\- Uzumaki Style: Adamantine Chains****(_3PP_): unlocks the Adamantine Chains skill  
****\- Uzumaki Style: Healing Touch ****(_5PP_): unlocks the special healing skill of the Uzumaki  
****\- Uzumaki Style: Changing the Code****(_10PP_): grant a superior Fuuin skill that can be used with only blood as a medium  
****-Jinchuuriki Enhanced Senses**** (_1PP_): gives the enhance senses of a canine  
****\- Jinchuuriki Empathy Sense**** (_3PP_): gives the ability to feel other peoples' feelings

__PP unused: 2]__

"Say," he wondered "what's a Jinchuuriki?"  
The Inuzuka alpha hadn't been expecting that, and her eyes widened, the breakfast plate full of meat nearly slipping out of her hands.  
"I... er... I don't think I'm the one who should answer this."  
"We'll go see the Hokage later." Ren reassured her, not too surprised the child had ****Perks**** related to his condition available

"So..." Naruto eyed the seal on his body "You mean there's a monster in my belly and people are mistaken and think I'm the monster? That's why they don't like me?"  
The Hokage nodded, having explained as best as he could the situation, far earlier than he'd like – but he had already known that the day was coming, sooner rather than later thanks to ****Chaos********Game******,** but also the rather worrying example set by the old man in the godly Nara's story.  
"That's not quite it."  
The man stumbled, surprised to see Yagami step out of the shadows where he knew she hadn't been the moment before - Yagami herself was rather happy to have finally started to gain back her Black Flame's main ability, partially thanks to seeing the annoying rogue Uchiha use his own ability the day before, making her understand she'd been looking at her problem the wrong way.  
The little girl's voice was still a bit rough from disuse, as she mused "Kura-chan isn't a monster. A bit grumpy and easily annoyed but he's capable of thinking and feeling just like anyone else."  
"But they why did he attack Konoha?"  
"That's the question, isn't it." she mused "They wouldn't attack without reason."  
"The tailed-beasts were captured by the Shodaime after Uchiha Madara used the nine-tail against him in battle, they are dangerous."

"And so are all shinobi in the lands but they aren't imprisoned." the little white-haired girl pointed out rather coldly "You do realize they were here before all of you?"  
"What do you mean?"  
"The nine bijuu were created by Hagoromo Otsutsuki." Yagami said "'They've been roaming these lands for hundreds of years, and suddenly one man decided that since his enemy managed to control one of them, they were the one to be jailed? That's pretty arrogant."  
Ren nodded, agreeing easily – he had been a daiyoukai after all, and understood all too well that humans always tried to kill or control what they what they feared.  
"You mean... we're the bad guys?" Naruto wondered eyes wide  
"Well would you like to shut in your room forever because someone else used a jutsu on you that forced you to do bad things?"  
"Oh..." the boy eyed his seal in consideration "No I would be angry."  
"Exactly. And the bijuu are very tall, so when then are angry, they do a lot of damage."  
"It's a never ending circle." Hiruzen seemed to realize "We're afraid so we jail them, and when they managed to break free they're angry and we become even more afraid..."

"Someone just has to break the circle." Yagami smiled  
"How?" Naruto wondered  
"Well, by changing the system." Yagami pointed at the seal "The cage must go for a start." a shrug "This isn't something we'll be able to do that easily, but starting to learn more about fuuinjutsu is a good start."  
"Fuuinjutsu?"  
"The shinobi art of making seals." Ren explained the blond "Like explosive tags, storage seals... or the one you've got here."  
"And of course, talking."  
"Talking?"  
"Well to the one you're sharing your body with." Yagami winked "After all, it must be pretty boring, alone inside."  
"Uh? That's possible?" Naruto wondered "How?"  
"Well, lots and lots of meditation, to access your inner mind."  
"Ugh! Again?" he protested  
"I've already started him on some meditation," Ren confirmed "With the rate at which his chakra pool is growing, he'll need it to help with chakra control later on."

"True." Hiruzen realized "Uzumaki always had some difficulty with chakra control naturally, so I guess it's bound to be even worse for Naruto. I'm sorry Naruto, I hadn't realized."  
"It's alright, Ren-nii-san explained to me that it was because you had too much work so you forgot things!"  
"Right." the hokage nodded, sending a thankful smile to his Anbu – he may have started to change things, but it would be some time before he stopped realizing everyday that yet another detail of the village's life had been forgotten in his desperate attempt not to make them loose their place as one of the five great Hidden Village  
"Still," he emphasized "You must realize that speaking about the Kyuubi is dangerous."  
"But doesn't everyone already knows?"  
"Only the people that were there on the day of the attack know." the hokage corrected "The children don't know, they've just followed their parents example. And more importantly, only the people in the village knows..."  
"Oh... It's like with my clan inheritance, uh? If people know, they'll be afraid or jealous?"  
"Exactly." the old man smiled, happy that ****Chaos********Game****had already taught that lesson to the boy, even if it wasn't one he should have to learn in an ideal world

¤.¤.¤

In the following days, Naruto and the trio born from Orochimaru's machinations went to the hospital everyday to visit Sasuke and the other Uchiha children.  
In the village, words was going around that someone had made the clan heir go mad and try to kill all his clan – and that while he'd been stopped, he still ran away. Thanks to that small modification to the original story, even if Itachi was still hunted by the village, orders weren't to kill him on sight but to capture and bring him back to the village to try and bring him back from madness.  
Of ocures, said madness still meant that even once brought back to the village, the teen had lost his status as clan heir, and would never be a shinobi ever again - at least, officially.  
The few surviving adults of the clan had been vetted by the Hokage, who'd told them why exactly the clan massacre had occurred – and that while he didn't agree with the method, he wouldn't had let their coup succeed anymore than Danzo had.  
The councilman was under watch, even if he didn't know it yet – but they were too, especially since only one of them had emitted any doubts concerning said coup.

The clan had been moved out of the compound for now – ostensibly for their own protection, but the adults knew it was also to keep an eye on them. The children didn't realize the truth of the matter, and were already starting to recover with the resilience typical from young minds – except for Sasuke, whose world had already collapsed with his father's death and couldn't believe that his brother had been the one to kill all their clansmen.  
The young boy was throwing himself in training, determined to bring his brother back and clear his name, and seeing that he wasn't ready to hear anything different, the children around him were helping rather than trying to stop him.

They had also been taken along to the Nara clan, Tsume pushing them there an evening since after all it was Ren's residence originally – and Ayame too was a Nara, even if she hadn't met them yet.  
Meeting the rather laid-back Shikamaru had been rather surprising after knowing both Ayame and Ren – but the boy had pointed out with a yawn that they were the odd ones out, not him – something they'd soon realized was right as they learned to know the clan.  
For Sasuke, it had been really strange to realize that while every single clan-member was smarter than him, none of them really cared. As used as he'd been to be compared to his brother, and never deemed good enough by his clan and parents, it had been quite an awakening for the boy.  
Ayame was quickly adopted by her clan, and learning to unwind, something the young girl had sorely needed. As much as she enjoyed their den in the Inuzuka compound, it was soon evident she'd been accepted in the family, and really enjoyed it.

Isao, with his natural calm, may not be as intelligent as the shadow users, but still blended in really well among them – even if the first real friend he made for himself out of their small pack wasn't a Nara, but an Akimichi.  
They'd all met the Akimichi and Yamanaka not too long after the Nara, since the three clan had a close relationship – so of course, after meeting Ren's cousin, they'd soon met his usual playmates, Chouji and Ino.  
The young Akimichi relaxed character and gentle persona had soon won them over – Ino abrasive and loud temper a bit more difficult for them to get used to, without much surprise. The first time she'd managed to startle one of them, she'd nearly earned a kunai in the face for her efforts – children the trio maybe, they still had to be treated as shinobi out of a long-term mission, something the adults understood well, but the children found harder to understand.

As for Naruto, while the Nara were a bit too laid-back for his high energy level, they did help him in leaps and bound when it came to meditation. But more importantly, it was Sasuke that he'd really strung a new friendship with, both boys highly competitive and loving to push themselves in any kind of shinobi training they could get their hand on.  
Of course, with the blond having gained such a visible friend, it wasn't long before the civilian council started protesting loudly, fearing for the Uchiha heir's safety.  
Hiruzen had had to hold back a rather large smile when the Inuzuka alpha had talked them down rather harshly, the revelation that the Uzumaki were distantly related surprising everyone.

"Then why didn't you take the demon child in before?" a civilian made the error of questioning  
The woman had smiled widely "I don't know, maybe I was busy taking care of the numerous orphans in my own clan and thinking the people of the village would be honorable enough to treat Naruto as the hero he is, according to our beloved Yondaime, rather than spit on our hero's sacrifice and alienating the boy that's the only reason our village still stands."  
A shrug "But clearly you civilians don't give a damn about the yondaime's wishes nor believe in his skills at all if you think a seal he made by calling the Shinigami himself could break easily." a smile "Or maybe you even want the seal to break? After all with the way you've been handling the boy, that's the only logical conclusion I can come to."

After that, and the harsh reminder that as a clan member, Naruto didn't fall under their law, the civilian council had finally realized they were loosing power.  
They had tried to retaliate the only way they could – with money – but like Ren had pointed out, years had gone by since the fateful night when the Kyuubi had raged upon their village, and the hokage had since managed to raise back the number of shinobi an thus the number of missions they could take.  
Oh sure enough, the merchant could raise their prices, but short of leaving the village it would be all but useless, as the shinobi too could raise the price of taxes and missions - and managing their business without cheap D-rank mission would fast become difficult for them.  
Merchant leaving the village would soon be replaced now that the Hidden Village had rebuilt its reputation enough, and threatening to reveal Naruto's status wasn't something they were stupid enough to do as even the Daimyo would decreed them traitors to the Country of Fire without any qualms – because whether they liked it or not, the young boy, both from his parentage, even if it wasn't talked about, and tenant was an important strategic resource for the village.  
Hiruzen smiled, as he realized they'd just won the first battle.

* * *

**[******Yagami****/ Age 3 / Level 51  
****Physical Main Stat 90(141): ****Strength 30(51) / Agility 50(70) / Endurance 10 (20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 72(111): ****Intelligence 32(50) / Will 20(32) / Wisdom 20(29)  
****Social Main Stat 42(88):****Presence 10(18) / Perception 22(39) / Luck 10(31)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 220(362) / HP regen/min 2,21(3,94) / Chakra Points 370 / CP regen/min 3,99  
Damage 36(61,2) / Defense 16(31,2) / Reaction Speed 38(55)  
Chakra control 20,8(32,2) / Chakra Density 20(32,6) / Mind Speed 28,4(43,7)  
Critic Chance 4,58(12,6) / Critic Damage Multiplier 3,6(17,6), Loot Bonus 12,4(30)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 7 / Level 6  
****Physical Main Stat 40(47):****Strength 16(16) / Agility 12(15) / Endurance 12 (16)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 32(47): ****Intelligence 10(10) / Will 12(21) / Wisdom 10(16)  
****Social Main Stat 32(57): ****Presence 10(11) / Perception 12(14) / Luck 10(32)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 128(158) / HP regen/min 1,29(1,61) / Chakra Point 204 / CP regen/min 2,04  
Damage 14,8(15,7) / Defense 13,2(16) / Reaction Speed 12(15,3)  
Chakra control 8,4(11,4) / Chakra Density 11,4(19,5) / Mind Speed 10(11,8)  
Critic Chance 1,01(1,6) / Critic Damage Multiplier 1,48(5,02), Loot Bonus 10,4(24,2)]

**A bit about the Game System in 4.0:**

\- a player gains 2 **Main** **Characteristic** Point (CP) per level, and 1 per year  
\- an **Inheritance** gives a base bonus of 10 CP split between three Main Characteristics, and one family skill  
(for example the Inuzuka gains +6 Strength, +3 Agility and +3 Perception along with the Inuzuka Claws skill, that grants canine claws and fangs, and a bonus on base damage that ranges from up to 10% for a beginner to up to 20% for a master)  
\- other family skills can be either learned in the Clans or unlocked with Perk Points  
\- a player now gains 10 Skill Points (SP) per level, the skill are now classified as either beginner, regular or mastered, each out of 100  
(for example a beginner in the Inuzuka Claw with 50/100 in his skill will have a 5% damage boost, a user with 50/100 of the master skill will have a 18% damage boost)  
\- each shinobi rank (genin, chuunin, jounin, Anbu) gives a base bonus of 12 CP split between three Main Characteristic and a retroactive bonus of 3CP/10level split between two Main Characteristic


	3. II Shinobi of the Leaf

****II. Shinobi of the Leaf****

"Aren't you cutting it a bit short?" the chuunin on duty, Kamizuki Izumo teased as a few silhouettes arrived at the front gate leisurely  
"It's part of the test." the tall gray-haired jounin commented with an eye-smile  
"I've talked him out of being three hours late." the smaller white-haired girl sighed by his side  
"So how late are you?" the second chuunin guarding the gate, Hagane Kotetsu, wondered  
A shrug "About one hour." the dark-haired teenager was the one to answer "But we still have to drop by the Hokage Tower to get their files."  
"Bah, what files, you already know your teams." Kotetsu laughed "Remember I was there when you played that poker game to decide which jounin got who."

"I'm still sure you cheated..." Ren mumbled, eyeing darkly Kakashi "I've just yet to find out how..."  
"Please Ren, if you don't cheat you haven't even tried." his Anbu partner laughed "And I know you cheat just as much as I do, you're just a sore loser because I got the better of you."  
"Still, I can't believe there's been nine early graduate this year." Kotetsu mused  
"Well you know how it went..." Yagami sighed "Kiba, Naruto and Sasuke are always training together, so there wasn't a good reason to hold them back one more year when they've already met the minimal age requirement."  
"Then Ayame-chan let drop before Ino how much Sasuke admired Yagami's skills as a kunoichi, and that was enough for the girl to push Shikamaru and poor Chouji to take the exam early." Ren smiled evilly "I'm so proud of my imouto, she's grown tremendously!"  
"I still maintain that Hokage-sama was high the day he let you apprentice her..." Kakashi mumbled "She used to be a decent girl, now she's a manipulative demon. The Log protects us from from motivated Nara..." the Hatake wasn't the only one to shudder at this affirmation, while Ren eyed them with an innocent expression all knew to be fake

"And for the last three?"  
"Yagami has been dragging Hinata-chan to the pups' training lately. The girl is actually rather good once she forgets all the inferiority complex her clan has hammered into her." Kakashi admitted "I wouldn't have minded having her as a genin either but the council told us it was three kids max, chuunin included." he explained, grumbling a bit at how unfair he felt it was  
"Sakura is Ino's childhood friend, and apparently the two are competing for Sasuke's attention, so once Ino decided to apply for early graduation, she did too." Ren added "Still, she's got a good potential hidden under those fan-girl traits to manage to be ready early as a civilian, I'm sure Ayame will show her how a good kunoichi act."  
"That or traumatize her..." Izumo mumbled with a shudder  
"And the Aburame heir..." Kakashi shrugged "I'm not too sure, but apparently he thought all clan heir had to try for early graduation since all the other were registering themselves for it, so he did too..."

A few moments later, the trio was leisurely entering a half empty class-room "Team seven! chibi-blond, chibi-dark, with us!"  
"You promised you wouldn't call us like that once we earned our hitai-ate!" Naruto protested as he closed the scroll he'd been reading  
"Of course he lied..." Sasuke sighed, clearly having expected it "It's nearly pathological with that man."  
"Team eight! Pup, Aya-chan, pink-hair with me." Ren completed just as relaxed as Kakashi, that didn't even bother answering to the young Uchiha's accusation  
"Aren't team induction supposed to be done... with your team?" Kiba mumbled as the two teams were steered together toward the outskirt of the town  
"Well normally there's supposed to be a second test that flush out about 60 percent of the new genin and send them back to the academy." Ren was the one to explain "But since we know pretty much all of you it's not really needed so we already told hokage-sama we'd be keeping you, since we'll be working together closely."  
"Er..." Sakura raised her hand hesitantly "Not that I'm not thankful, but well... You don't know me?"

¤.¤.¤

"We've been spying on you all whenever we were in town for the past three months." Yagami was the one to correct  
"Eh? But I never saw anything?" the startled pink-haired protested  
Kiba snorted "If Yami-chan doesn't want to be seen, she could be standing right beside you and you wouldn't realize."  
"What, but... you're so young?"  
"I'm a chuunin." the white-haired girl answered  
"And the only reason she's not a jounin is that the minimal age to be promoted has been changed after..." Kiba trailed on awkwardly  
"After my brother." Sasuke completed with a sigh, not begrudging the other his slip - Kiba and naruto did tend to share the foot-in-mouth disease "The Nara clan leader gave the hokage a file quite convincing about how promoting shinobi too young led to some mental fragility that could become detrimental in the long term." he clinically explained

"Not that most jounin aren't completely mad each in their own way." Kakashi commented, his lone eye never leaving the little orange book he was reading "But there's a difference between strange coping method and barking mad and murderous, and delaying promotion by a few years appears to be a good way of avoiding the worst basket cases." a snort "Who'd knew there was a real reason behind all the Nara's laziness!"  
"As such, there are no more genin younger than ten year old, chuunin younger than twelve and jounin younger than fifteen." Ayame quoted "Yami-chan, Isao-kun and I are among the last chuunin younger than ten year old to have been promoted."  
While walking, the two team had arrived at the outskirt of the town, and were now seated in a clearing, a small path nearby closed by a gate with the number 40 painted on it.  
"Alright, we're going to introduce ourselves." Kakashi stated with fake enthusiasm  
"Bah! We already know each other!" Kiba protested  
"Pup..."

"Hai, hai, I'm Kiba, eleven year old, and this is Akamaru, my nin-ken partner. I'm an Inuzuka, which means I fight with my partner, and have a better nose and hearing than regular humans." he said "I specialize in close-range fighting, with high speed and agility." he continued " My weak point are genjutsu and my enhanced senses." he summed up "I like training with Akamaru and learning about my clan. My goal is to become Prime Alpha, that is clan head eventually."  
"But aren't you the clan heir already?" Sakura wondered  
"I'm the youngest of the clan head. That's all. We don't inherit our title, even if the Prime Alpha title is often handed down from parents to children, you have to earn it."  
"Oh."

"Naruto."  
"Hai! I'm Naruto, I'm eleven year old too. I'm an Uzumaki so I'm not too bad with fuuinjutsu and have high stamina and a very large chakra pool. Logically my main weakness is chakra control, and genjutsu. I specialize in a mid-range style, with both taijutsu and ninjutsu and have senses as good as an Inuzuka and have just learned to summon chakra chains. My goal is to become hokage eventually!"  
"Still?" Sakura asked, surprised "I remember you were always going on about it when we were children..." she trailed off, realizing that at about the same time as he'd become friend with Sasuke, the boy had also calmed down - still as boisterous as before, but putting the energy in his training, rather than in trying to catch the whole classroom's attention  
"Still." the blue-eyed boy nodded, eyes steady and confident "Because the hokage is the greatest hero, the one who protects everyone in the village."

"Ayame!"  
"I'm Ayame. I'm a Nara, and a Yuki, which means I can use shadows and ice." the black-haired, violet eyed girl said "I'm nine year old, and a chuunin. My specialty reside in controlling a fight with both my bloodlines, and ending fights before they've even started. Taijutsu and chakra pool are my weaknesses."  
"Nine year old? but... I never saw you at the Academy!"  
"I never went." Ayame answered nonchalantly

"Sasuke."  
The black-haired boy nodded "I'm Sasuke, an Uchiha. I haven't unlocked my sharingan yet. I'm not bad at taijutsu but my talent is in throwing weapons and ninjutsu. My weak point are chakra control and stamina. My goal is to bring my brother home."

"Yagami."  
"Before you ask," the white-haired girl said, eyeing Sakura who was clearly about to open her mouth "I'm seven year old." the pink-haired girl closed her mouth, stunned "I've got Uzumaki, Inuzuka and Hatake blood, which means my senses and instincts are pretty much more those of a canine than a human." she summed "I've also got a pretty big chakra pool, so chakra control is a constant problem like Naruto." she continued "My specialty is kenjutsu, and I use some elemental ninjutsu too." she pointed to the puppy sized black and white dogs sleeping at her feet "Those are my partners, Padfoot and Blanche. Padfoot is a fighter, Blanche a tracker. My goal..." she mused "Live well?" she asked rather than affirm, making the people around laugh

"Your turn Sakura."  
The girl blushed lightly as she realized she had everyone's attention "I'm Sakura, I'm eleven year old. I'm not from a clan so I don't have a bloodline... Well except if you count pink-hair as a blood line." she mumbled  
"I'd wondered..." Kakashi admitted unashamedly  
"I"m... pretty good with my brain, and chakra control is really easy, but physical skills aren't my forte." she hesitantly pointed out, wondering how the others knew so well their strong and weak points "My goal..." she blushed, eyeing Sasuke and making Naruto and Kiba snort  
"Well, that was the idea. Now let's try that last part again." Ren asked  
"Eh?"  
"I don't care about your love-stories, pinky, you're a genin now, if love was your main interest in life it's not at Konoha's Academy you should have been, so logically... There's got to be a reason why you wanted to be a kunoichi?"

"I..." the girl was startled, but thought about it a bit before remembering "I... Well we're not a clan but both of my parents are chuunin." she said  
"Really?" all of Naruto, Sasuke and Kiba were surprised she realized – she never talked much about her parents at the academy, since all the clan child tended to have jounin in their family while civilian child were more interested in family wealth  
"Yeah. I remember asking them why they were shinobi when I was little, I didn't really get it since I was going at the civilian pre-school... They told me that it was to protect the village, and me... But most importantly, it was so they could always be there to save each other." a smile, as she remembered "It was then that I realized I didn't want to become a civilian girl waiting at home for her husband..."  
"Well, I knew there was someone interesting beneath the annoying fan-girl." Ren nodded with a pleased smile, stretching an open palm toward the boys trio, who each dropped a few coins in, grumbling

Then the same hand went further, and Yagami sighed "You too, otou?"  
The affirmation managed to surprise Sakura enough that she put to the side the rather vexing bet all seemed to have taken, as she repeated "Otou..." she eyed both "Wait, he's you father?"  
"Yes." Kakashi nodded "This child here is my adorable musume! Can't you see the resemblance?"  
"Mother-hen." Naruto and Kiba coughed in a perfectly synchronized way that proved it wasn't the first time this happened  
As for Sakura - try as she might, except for the light hair, she wasn't really seeing the resemblance - something not too surprising given how most of the older Hatake's face was hidden away...  
"Well, why don't you introduced yourself too, otou-san?" Yagami sweetly suggested "Properly."  
The last word, Sakura mused, was clearly threatening – what a strange family dynamic.

"I'm Hatake Kakashi, I've been jounin since I was twelve. Yami-chan's been my apprentice for the last four years. I have a sharingan implanted," he pointed at his hidden eye, surprising no one but her Sakura noted "and my fighting style revolve mainly around ninjutsu. I've a rather small chakra pool for a ninjutsu specialist, but a control and density good enough to make up for it. My weakness is my stamina which means I'm not built for extended taijutsu fight." he summed up "My goal..." a shrug, quite similar to Yagami's own "Spoil the pups?" he mused  
"The pups?" Sakura mouthed  
"The Hatake are a canine clan like the Inuzuka." Kiba was the one to answer "Which means Kakashi-san has as good senses as us, and works with nin-ken too, but where we have permanent partners he works with summons." he explained "But you'll realize that canine clan often uses words usually meant for dogs with humans. We're the pups."  
"Oh."  
"And don't be fooled. Spoiling also means he intents to train us to the best of his abilities, because only the strong lives in the wild." Sasuke added "But he's one of Konoha's strongest jounin, the training will be hard but great."

"And I'm Nara Ren." the younger jounin finally introduced himself "I've been a jounin since I was seven year old. My specialty is surprise attack and throwing weapon. I also have some basis in medic ninjutsu and battlefield first aid. My weak point is probably taijutsu and stamina. My goal is to stay by my __bambina's__ side, of course."  
This time, Naruto and Kiba's chorus sounded a lot like "Henpecked husband!" Sakura noted, rather amused, wondering who was the lucky girl

Then, she turned her attention back to the jounin as he addressed her directly "Like we said, we've scouted you out of the genin hopeful, for a number of reasons." he reminded her "You have a good brain, all your teacher agree on the fact you catch on quickly, be it on the theoretical work, or on chakra exercise. Your chakra pool is really small, but your control perfect. Your physical abilities are quite catastrophic and you're frankly not ready to venture out of the village walls." he assessed without holding back "But if you put the work in, these are failings we can correct."  
She winced at the blunt affirmation.  
"What you have to realize is that while you've been lucky enough to escape the true genin test and land about the best jounin-sensei you could, you're also at a very big disadvantage." Kakashi took over "Everyone around you has known and trained with each others for years, which is why we didn't bother with the test, since we already knew what we wanted..."

"The genin test is to check if young shinobi can demonstrate the most important quality for a Konoha shinobi." Ren explained "Team-work."  
The other nodded, not too surprised, and Sakura thought back to their lessons. While it was never told like this at the academy, she realized that all the practical example and training was always done in teams...  
"Since everyone else already knows how to work together, you'll have to learn fast." Kakashi easily affirmed "And catch up with them all too."  
"Catch up?"  
"Right now, Naruto, Sasuke and Kiba are mid-level to high-level genin skill wise, they only lack the practical application of those skill in missions." Yagami was the one to point "I'm mid-jounin level, Ayame is high chuunin to low jounin. And of course our jounin-sensei are high level jounin. You are a low level genin, more of an academy student when your physical skills are concerned."  
"So yeah," Ayame nodded "catch up."  
"It will probably be hell." Naruto commented in a rather grave tone for the usually happy-go-lucky blond "When Yami-chan started to train me seriously I thought I would die..."  
"You are over dramatic!" the young girl protested "I knew you could take it! But yeah," she admitted "you'll probably be very happy it's over when the basic physical conditionning is done."

¤.¤.¤

"Anyway, in order to start with all that, we've decided to start with a good bonding exercise!" Kakashi announced with a smile  
Naruto and Kiba whimpered – but what really worried Sakura was that even Sasuke had paled.  
"This," Ren pointed at the door behind him "is training ground 40. It's a valley nearly untouched by man ever since ancient times, that the Senju used to protect from foreigners before Konoha was created."  
"Since then, it became one of the twelve nature training ground, so there's minimal intervention from the shinobi in here." Kakashi smiled "But since there's a river, and game, you should be able to survive a couple of weeks."  
"A... couple of weeks?" Sakura mumbled, both reassured to see she wasn't the only dreading the ordeal, and even more worried because of it  
If those that she was just told were leaps and bounds better than her were looking that unsure, what chance did she have to survive?

"We probably won't let you die, but a few nearly mortal wounds are a good way of learning." Ren stated with a smile, before his shadows seemed to curl around the four new genin, and drag them toward the gate, the two chuunin following sedately  
The door closed behind them with an ominous sound, and Naruto sobbed "Why are you always so mean when it comes to training, Yami-chan?"  
"I'm here, Naru-chan."  
"You're..." the blond's eyes lightened "You're here! We won't die! Yatta!"  
"We're team-mates now," Ayame pointed out "we live and die together." a shrug "We did suggest to the other two jounin-sensei that they drop their teams with us too but they refused. Poor Isao..."  
"Bah, I'm sure they'll agree to some inter-team exercise once they realize how far behind their genin are getting." Yagami pointed out "And even if they don't, Hinata and Isao at least will drag their team-mates to the week-end training sessions."  
"Right." the other nodded  
"But enough about the other teams." Sasuke was the one to point out "Let's worry more about how we're getting through the next two weeks first."

The next two weeks were just as bad as the four genin had dreaded.  
Between the three genin used to work together and the two chuunin who naturally were used to work with different teams and have people under their command, Sakura had felt pretty useless at first.  
They'd started by brainstorm about what they'd need – shelter, water, fire, food, but also protection from the wild-life – and how to gain it. She'd bee happy to suggest traps, but had soon felt overwhelmed when Naruto had enthusiastically taken the idea to length she wouldn't have imagined - who knew traps and pranks were so similar? Well she hadn't, but clearly someone had, and had honed the blonds abilities thanks to it.  
The others never tried to make her feel bad about her abilities, she'd realized, only helping her when she was too tired to move, or pointing out how to improve something when she didn't know it – but it still felt pretty awful to always be the odd one out, missing on the inside jokes and always one step behind in the easy understanding the other shared.

The pink-haired girl had a breakdown by the third day, getting away from the clearing they'd secured for themselves to cry. Help had come from the most unexpected person.  
"You're only focusing on what you don't get, where you don't succeed..." Yagami had commented as if she was talking about the weather – the young girl always seemed in control of her emotions "But Naruto may be good at traps, he'd never thought to use them without you." she said "You're also the only one to have more than only basic first aid knowledge."  
"You have more than that too." Sakura pointed out, a smile admits the tears as Blanche and Padfoot playfully snuggled to her to cheer her up  
"I'm also a jounin, skill-wise." Yagami reminded her "Not to mention that as much as I'd like to, I'll never have your potential for healing." the white-haired girl eyed her hands with gleaming eyes "My hands are better suited to taking life than giving it, I'm afraid."

She shook her head "Anyway, you've been more accepted than you think." she informed her "Kiba doesn't willingly share hunting tips with anyone." she pointed at her pups "And all three of our nin-kens like you."  
"But Kiba said it was because I was so bad..."  
"And a pup has to be educated to be useful to the pack." Yagami completed easily "But Sakura, not anyone is pack for us canine." she calmly informed her "We've been spending at least half our week-ends with Shikamaru, Ino and Chouji since I've arrived in Konoha but never have they been considered pack."  
"And I would be? Just like that?"  
"You're our team-mates, and honestly, even outside of the Inuzuka, the team that goes from regular shinobi to greatness are all team that became more than simple team-mates." a smile "You don't have to be able to understand a dog to be a pack-mate."

"I... But... I'm behind on everything, I'm just a burden!"  
"You're just a pup of the pack that has a bit more to learn than the others, but the thing is... you're learning." Yagami pointed at the herbs pile Sakura had absentmindedly gathered for the next day's meal, an the second pile that would do a good anti-pain balm for her own sore muscles "And even if it's only the seasoning those idiots would never think about in the next meal, or a balm to help yourself, it isn't something you would have thought or known to do two days ago."  
It was – true, Sakura realized, it had been Ayame who'd taken them to look for the herb, and once she'd realized the girl's nearly edeitic memory meant she retained all she was shown after only one time, the Nara had enthusiastically shared some of the rather extensive plant knowledge her clan possessed as one of the main provider of medicinal plants for shinobi use.

It was only later that she wondered about what the young Hatake had said – arrived in Konoha?  
She'd pushed the question the the side quickly, as she was more than busy enough with their day to day struggle to keep alive – as traps or not, the beasts around weren't afraid of humans.  
Then, at the one week mark, Naruto had busted excitedly in their camp "I've found a hot spring!" he'd announced grandly, dangling his latest prey, as Sasuke and him had been taking their turn hunting  
The Uchiha heir arrived a few steps behind, rest of the meal in hands, before confirming  
"It's about an hour away, large enough for everyone. According to Naruto's nose no scent of dangerous gas."

"Ugh... A hot bath!" Kiba whispered dreamily – Sakura was of the same mind as the boy as they had all taken dips in the nearby river daily, but that didn't compare to hot water  
The next day, they'd left a camp protected by some heavy seal-work – Yagami wanted a hot bath just as much as them – and headed toward the hot spring. Naruto had been the one to drop some seals around the area to keep the wild-life away – and faster than one could say 'hot spring', piles of clothes and shinobi equipment had dropped to the ground - close enough that all could easily grab a kunai if needed, and five of the six were in the water.  
"So while Inuzuka are particularly indifferent for the matter, modesty is something you're going to have to forget abound quickly." Ayame was the one to tell her patiently "Here its all in good fun, but imagine what should happen if you were attacked while naked and hesitated to defend yourself because you were afraid to be seen without clothes?"

It was a testament to how much she'd grown in the days since they'd been dropped in the valley, that the girl after a moment of hesitation did drop her clothes with the others and slip in the water – but she was soon relaxing, the hot water's beneficial effect on her sore muscles somehow far more important that the three boys nearby that in any case weren't particularly looking at her or any of the girls.  
"Need help with your hair?"  
Sakura stumbled, having nearly forgotten about everything but the water, at the offer. Eyeing around, she noted that Sasuke was already kneading his hands through Ayame's black locks in a way that spoke of practice while Naruto was wildly scrubbing Yagami's scalp.  
"Don't worry, I'm not as bad as Naruto! I think only Yami-chan can stand his rough ways!"  
"Eh!"  
"Okaa-san let you touch her hair once! Once and never again! Same for Hana!"  
"Bah, your mum and sister don't know how to recognize a true artist!"  
"Speaking of art..." Yagami mused " Please don't try to style my hair like a ramen bowl ever again."  
"It was one time! I was six!"

Sakura laughed and smiled to the wild boy that was patiently waiting nearby "Is it something pack does?"  
"It is." he confirmed, taking it as the authorization it was "Packs live, eat, bath together in the compound. I remember thinking Naruto weird when he was surprised by our house... And feeling just as dumb a few weeks later when we went to the Nara compound to stay for the first time." he told her while gently washing her locks in a way that proved this was something he did quite often "I didn't realized other people slept in separate rooms."  
Sakura laughed at the admission.  
"I didn't realize life could be so different behind a clan's walls." she admitted, now rather curious about if things were that different in the others clans  
"Those walls are a protection, as they let us keep our life-style without caring about the civilians eyes, but they also make it harder for non-clan shinobi to realize we don't mind sharing our way of life with people." Kiba commented

"Even if most clans aren't quite as free as the Inuzuka, quite a few practices that are universally accepted among shinobi are viewed as uncivilized by the civilians..." Ayame confirmed "We may live in the same village, we clearly don't live in the same world in their eyes. That's why it's so difficult for children from civilian background to become successful shinobi."  
"They lack their family's help and understanding during their academy days, they they don't have the correct moral compass and have to relearn from scratch what's right, wrong, and so on for shinobi." Sasuke nodded "I couldn't believe it when we started the academy and some children didn't know how to properly stretch before working out, or didn't even know what chakra was..."  
It was only later, as they got out of the water and were waiting to dry that Sakura realized something she hadn't seen before in the milky water.  
"You can ask." Ayame said gently, both Yagami and her having known the reaction to be all but inevitable  
After all, the dark-haired girl had the very clear and recognizable signs of surgery on her body, and far more training and battle scars than someone her age should have.

And Yagami's body was far worse.  
"I... what... how..."  
"We weren't born in Konoha." Yagami said, reminding Sakura of her affirmation a few days before "We were born in a lab, along with dozens of other test subjects. "  
"Konoha found and saved us, along with Isao and nineteen other surviving kids." Ayame added  
"What kind of monster can do this to children?" Sakura whispered  
"Orochimaru." the word was short, and dripping with hate – she didn't even know Naruto could hate anyone, but right now, she completely agreed with him  
"Don't cry for us." Yagami gently comforted her "We're the lucky one. We're alive."  
Sakura hadn't even realized she was crying – but she did dry her tears. If someone had any right to cry about the situation it wasn't her, and those that could didn't – so she wouldn't either.

Her reaction was met with approval from the other three genin, not that she realized it, and they soon were back to their camp, and tackling on the second week of survival training.  
Now that a routine had been sufficiently established, Ayame and Yagami started to introduce some training exercises in the daily routine – and really, in Sakura's opinion Naruto hadn't been over dramatic. If anything, he may have understated things...  
Of course, she had to admit that even in a few days she could tell the routine would help, as she was already seeing progress in the evening sparing session – now instead of being destroy in a few seconds she actually lasted a nearly a minute before loosing!  
Training with the other also made her realize much better the good and bad points of her limited chakra pool – on one hand, it was frustrating to have to stop after a few techniques while the boys could spam them; but on the other side she also noted that even Yagami, despite her jounin level skills, was religiously working on her own exercises in control while it came as easily as breathing to her...

¤.¤.¤

Finally, on their last day, the six genin and chuunin packed up their camp, clearing the place in order not to let too many traces of their stay in the valley, and went back to the hot spring.  
"About time you got here, pup, it's your turn to help wash the pack!" Kakashi stated, making Kiba whimper  
"Miss me, __bambina___?" _Ren added with a smile for his mate  
"Well not that much given you two we just around the corner the whole time." the white-haired girl contradicted  
"Your senses are cheated." Kakashi pouted as he went through the hand signs for summoning, eight dogs of different size appearing, all of them wearing Konoha's hitai-ate one way or another

Sakura eye's widened as it was her first time seeing a summoning jutsu – and it was rather impressive. Meanwhile, the dogs eyed the group "So these are the new pups." a small pug commented casually, making her jump "I guess we should be able to make something out of them..."  
"Er... Why do you speak while Akamaru, Padfoot and Blanche don't?" the pink-haired asked – if there was one thing she'd learn in those two weeks, it was that she wouldn't be mocked for not knowing something  
"Well they speak as well as us." the pug corrected her "But I guess you mean human speech and it's that case it's because they are dogs born in this world, while we come from the Summoning Realm." he explained patiently, rather satisfied with her reaction – Naruto had of course screamed loudly and pestered him for hours the first time he'd realized Kakashi's pack could talk

"So the Summoning Realm isn't in this world?" Sakura easily guessed, a bit surprised as summoning wasn't a topic really addressed in the academy given how difficult it could be to obtain a Summoning Contract  
"Indeed, our worlds live side by side but aren't the same." Kakashi was the one to confirm "Which is one of the reasons there are so few summoning contracts active. Shinobi tend to think of summons as tools bound to obey them, but this isn't the case, entering a summoning contract is entering a partnership. Failure to understand this is the reason why so many contracts ends up voided and without summoners."  
Sakura nodded her understanding, and while Kiba was soon busy wrestling with the dogs to give them a bath, the two jounin were going over the two team's two week in the valley confirming that just like Yagami had said they had been near enough to observe them the whole time.  
"These two weeks objective were to force all of you to learn to work together." Kakashi finally summed up "And you all did." he smiled "You've all learned to rely even more on each other than before, and taken your first steps out of the family den."

The odd formulation, Sakura understood by thinking about how wolves operated in the wild – something she'd taken to do when she didn't understand something about the canine behaviors Kiba, but also Yagami and Naruto had, and even Sasuke and Ayame had partially and subconsciously adopted.  
They'd been compared to young pups, finally grown enough to be let out of the protection of the den to start to face their first prey on their own, even if the adults weren't too far away to keep an eye on them – she rather liked the image as it was exactly what being a genin was in a way...  
"The next time, you'll have to avoid spending a whole week without keeping up your training, a shinobi should always be honing his skills." Ren pointed out "Even when under cover, there are ways to do some training by using everyday tasks. But this is something you'll learn about in the next few weeks, as starting from tomorrow, we're all starting missions!"  
"Yatta!"

"We'll be doing team training the morning, the D-rank in the beginning of the afternoon, which will leave the early evening free from some personal training." Ren explained "The faster you grow as a team, the faster we'll be rid of the D-ranks."  
None of the genin had understood that point at first – but their first D-rank, consisting of doing some grocery shopping for Team 7 and catching a run away cat that Kiba soon proclaim to be a beast from hell for Team 8, soon made them realize that they better took their training seriously if they wanted to be rid of the chores...  
"As annoying as they are, there is a point to D-rank." Ayame had been the one to explain to a loudly complaining Kiba and Naruto "By doing easy missions around the village, the civilians are familiarized with the shinobi when they're still young and rather innocent, so it helps the people from the village separate the cold -blooded reputation we tend to have from the helpful faces they see around the village. And it helps us learn the basis of a lot of civilians jobs, which will be useful later if we have to go under cover."

Still; as useful as the D-rank maybe, they still were annoying chores no one liked – not even the chuunin and jounin, and as such all genin took Ren's advice to heart, giving their all into their training.  
The morning was spent doing team exercises, either one team against the other, or both team together – or even teaming up by pairs.  
The evening, each genin found his own thing to do – Naruto worked on his chakra control but also his fuuinjutsu, his progress helping everyone as he was able to produce a low-level gravity seal that did wonders for physical training.  
Sasuke was working on combining his fire jutsu repertory with his skills with throwing weapons, having decided to focus on long-range fighting since Naruto was their front-line fighter.  
Kiba, as a front-line fight too, was improving his taijutsu, and of course working on his combination jutsu with his partner, but also learning how to better use his senses in and out of a fight.  
As for Sakura, she spent her time catching up on her sub-par physical skills while pouring into medical tomes and going to the medic-nin introductory lessons at the hospital three times a week.

On the Saturday, they completely dropped the missions, instead gathering in the Inuzuka training ground, where like Yagami had predicted, they were soon join by Hinata and Isao, the two of them eventually dragging their team-mate along. Finally, an annoyed Ino had eventually dragged nearly all the member of the last genin team, Shikamaru not bothering to protest and Lee his team-mate from the year above enthusiastic enough about training that he didn't mind joining the young genin he didn't know yet - only one of the recently graduated genin was missing.  
"My cousin doesn't like mingling." Hinata had commented, a bit of her usual shyness letting show some more unease than usual  
"He's one of the vaunted genius old clans like to boast about." Shikamaru had added with a yawn "We're not worth his time." a shrug "Meh, more time for me to watch clouds."  
"To train!" Ino corrected from nearby  
"Yeah, yeah, that too... Troublesome woman, nagging me even when we're not in the same team..."

If the other teams left with the evening, none of team 7 and 8 members ever made it home on those days, the six team-mates training till exhaustion, the jounin nearby not only helping but also doing their own training with Tsume herself.  
At first Sakura had felt a bit shy – but after a few times waking up in a puppy-pile in the clan head family den, she'd realize it was just the logical continuation of the pack dynamics Kiba, but also Naruto and Yagami had told her about, and even waking up to her crush's face had gone from exciting to familiar – and within a few months, she realized she was missing her team-mates when sleeping alone in her room during week days...  
Finally, after nearly three months of daily D-ranks, Ren and Kakashi had agreed that both teams were ready for their first C-ranks.  
"While we will have some missions together as often as not," Kakashi had explained "This first C-rank we'll do separately, after all we want you to be able to work together, but that doesn't mean you don't have to be able to work separately too."  
With that, Team 8 had gone to pack for an escort mission to Cha no Kuni, Naruto giving them his latest batch of sealing scroll before they split up, while Team 7 would be doing some message relaying alongside the east coast patrol circuit.

¤.¤.¤

Team 8 would be traveling for nearly three weeks with the caravan of merchant they were to escort.  
The mission wasn't to be very hard – since they would be going through Hi no Kuni, their own country, directly to Cha no Kuni, the neighboring and rather peaceful country.  
The mission objective was mainly to protect the merchants and their goods from regular bandits.  
Of course as easy as it was, it didn't mean it wasn't interesting for the genin, as it was their first time accomplishing a real mission rather than the simple chores they'd been doing around Konoha – and within days, they realized that what Ayame had told them about the way civilians saw shinobi was no lie.  
The merchants didn't realize that even without the Inuzuka's enhanced senses, any shinobi could at least somewhat read lips, and that their concept of whispering clearly wasn't the same as a shinobi's one. As such, they had soon realized that while they weren't taken very seriously by the people they were supposed to protect, they saw Ren quite differently.

"It's the uniform." Ayame explained that evening as they were going around the camp to put up few sensory wards for the night "Ren-sensei may be only fourteen, the jounin and chuunin are encouraged to wear an uniform that mark us as skilled shinobi. For civilians, it's as good as wearing a killer tattoo on our brow." she shrugged "I still look a bit young to be feared despite the fact I wear the uniform too, but that's a civilian failing too...'"  
"What do you mean?"  
"I look young and cute, so I'm not a threat. Same for Sakura-chan, the fact you're a girl means civilians will always respect you less than a shinobi with the same skills, and think you less dangerous."  
"That's dumb." Kiba pointed "My mum's the clan's alpha because she's the strongest out of all the Inuzuka, female or not!"  
"Sure, but that's how civilians think." a shrug "A few decades ago kunoichi even had to hide their female attribute when they were hired by civilians."  
"That's why there isn't any famous kunoichi before Tsunade-sama?" Sakura wondered  
"Exactly. It was Mito-sama's very public role as our Shodaime's wife and the fact it was impossible to hide all the kunoichi once the clans became villages that made civilians have to accept our existence."

Akamaru yipped, making Kiba nod his head in agreement "Yeah, you're right. Humans are strange."  
"You're human too." Sakura pointed out laughing at the comment  
It would take days for the pink-haired girl to realize that her team-mate had laughed, but not agreed to her comment...  
The routine of the slow traveling pace of the merchants was broken on the fifth days when with a bark, Akamaru warned them of incoming enemies.  
The bandits, they soon realized, weren't rookies – they'd realized that Kiba's red markings meant he was an Inuzuka, and stayed under the wind as long as possible, which meant team 8 had far less time to prepare themselves for the battle than they'd hoped.  
The band of about a dozen rushed at them loudly, stunning momentarily Sakura, before her body's reflexes took over, and she was dodging the rusty kunai flying toward her, wincing internally at the hygienic hazards those were, while taking out her own well-honed and cared for weapons, and going on the offensive.

On her left side, Kiba and Akamaru were already in the fray, the Inuzuka having dropped on all fours, canine elongated and claws having replaced his nails. While she'd already witnessed the four legged jutsu's effects in quite a few spars, it was the first time she realized just how dangerous it was, as her team-mates unarmed attacks were leaving behind bloody trails on the ill-equipped bandits.  
On her right, Ayame had ensnared three bandits in her shadows, the idiots having thought her an easier prey since she was the smallest – and the next moment, a swarm of icy needles were flying toward them.  
With knowledge hammered in by years of lessons, Sakura's kunai acted as a prolongation of her arm, finding and cutting through one of the numerous major arteries they were drilled on at the academy, not stopping as the man fell to the ground, simply moving to the next one, who was already rushing at her with an enraged yell.

The fight didn't last long – ten, maybe fifteen minutes, and not one of the bandits made it behind the defensive line of team 8's formation, Ren not even having to make a move to protect himself the merchants.  
He didn't let the time for the two genin to stop and think about what had happened, sending Ayame to keep watch on the caravan while he directed the other two to gather the bodies, finishing himself the few bandits that weren't yet completely dead before they realized it, then once they were isolated in the nearby clearing where the bodies were now piled up, he let them stop.  
He wasn't too surprised when Sakura was the first to break down in silent, shuddering sobs. Kiba automatically went to comfort her – on for her sobs to increase, making the wild boy stop and stare at himself, only then realizing that if the girl had been splashed by blood in her fight, he was more covered in it. The young Inuzuka lost it too.  
The hit-man waited until both started to calm down, exhausted, before speaking.

"This is the world we live in." he stated calmly "It is violent, and unkind, and you won't come out of it with clean hands." he affirmed the two genin "But make no mistake, they may paint it with prettier colors, the civilians live in this same world, and they may pride themselves on their clean hands; most of the time, they are the money behind the missions that will make you sick and question why you even bother getting up in the morning." he affirmed bluntly  
He kneeled by the two's side, making them lift their head.  
"I won't tell you it gets better, or easier, because the day it does you'll have become a killer and not a shinobi." he eyed both "You, Kiba, are unlucky in that you'll always be face to face with your victims, it's part of your fighting style, and of your own character." he dripped his hands in the blood on his face, tracing the lines that marked him an Inuzuka "Don't shy from the blood your spill, but don't take pride on it either, remember why you fight first and foremost, and the blood will wash out."

"Why I fight?" the boy whispered, Sakura thinking the question over too  
"Isn't it evident?" Ren smiled "For the family, the pack, and the village, all the people that means you have to go home at the end of the day." his smile was replaced by a more stern expression "The academy can teach you the skills to survive, but it can't make you understand what it really means to be a shinobi, this is something only real life can do. Today was the first of such awakening, but it won't be the last, there's a reason why most shinobi don't ever try to take the jounin exam, and it's not solely a question of skills."  
Sakura nodded at the affirmation, that was now that she thought about it rather evident – they did learn at the academy that chuunin made around 60% of their shinobi forces, with all genin and jounin making the rest, the Anbu not included in the numbers since nearly everything was classified about the elite force.  
Ren pointed to the camp that was hidden behind the tree "When you'll go back there, you'll have to pretend that everything is fine. Today is the first time, but not the last. Even when a mission is going to hell, you'll always have to look sure of yourself in front of the clients." a shrug "Because civilians like to complain we're cold-hearted killers, but they also don't bother with hiring twice shinobi that don't look calm enough when facing danger."  
Both genin nodded, trying to scrub as they could the blood in the nearby river their jounin-sensei had pointed them to.  
In the following days, both genin would think about the event – their first kill – each both horrified and marveled at the fact it had been so easy.

Like Ren had told them, they acted as if everything was alright, but the jounin and chuunin could see through their facade.  
Both Ayame and Ren would admit not not be the ideal people to help children through something like that, as both had made their peace with the killing part of a shinobi life at an age where other children didn't even know they wanted to be a shinobi one day. Still, in their own way, they did help, by keeping the genin busy with physical work, but also by peppering them with questions that made both questions quite a bit.  
If a shinobi was seen as only a tool by the civilians, then didn't the liability in their crime rest on the civilians that hired them?  
What did the shinobi code mean when it told them not shut their emotions?  
Why did shinobi position themselves as people for hire, rather than a true military force like the samurai did?  
Kiba often complained that the questions made his head hurt, but was still often caught with a considering expression after Ayame or Ren had raised a new question for them.

Of course, the mission, even if it brought with it a harsh lesson, also pointed the other side of out of the village missions – as both Kiba and Sakura were discovering the wonders of traveling with a caravan anew.  
In each new village, the arrival of the merchants lead to a fair, with children running around and pestering with wide eyes the less scary of the shinobi – the genin, asking for demonstrations of flashy ninjutsu or taijutsu skills that looked nearly magical to them; but also food stalls offering treats that weren't usual in Konoha, or local merchants promoting local crafts.  
By the time they arrived at the Dagarashi port, where they would be parting with the caravan, not only had everyone added to their pack some presents for the people back in Konoha, but Sakura and Kiba had also realized that as much as most where still eyeing Ren warily, there were also some among the civilians that had made the effort of getting to know them, and were truly grateful for their protection.

¤.¤.¤

Team 7 had been traveling at a far faster rhythm, making a bee-line among the trees for the southern-most part of Hi no Kuni's east coast, where they would be delivering their first message to the patrolling teams.  
It took four days for them to reach the coast, since Sasuke and Naruto even if they were physically fit for genin, still weren't up par yet with jounin speed.  
The southern outpost was rather happy to see them arrive, since with the latest orders, they also had brought some family letters that were centralized in the tower when shinobi were out on long term missions – the border-patrol duty could last for months at times.  
On the eastern coast, the main danger was from pirates trying to get the trading ships coming from Kaminari or Yu no Kuni and going either toward Hi no Kuni itself, or Tamina and Cha no Kuni further south.

The other main duty of the border patrol was to keep en eye on any suspicious activity from Mizu no Kuni, since they held one of the five great village – even if in those last years, Kirigakure hadn't displayed any open hostility against Konoha, their shinobi too busy with internal strife and civil unrest.  
After spending a few days in the southern outpost to familiarize themselves with the way it worked, and learning more about the patrol duty, team 7 had started to follow the coast toward the northern outpost, with a longer stop at the mid-way outpost.  
At first, Naruto and Sasuke hadn't understood, but as they arrived in the mid-way area, the reason for Naruto at least, soon became evident.  
They'd dropped orders and personal messages to the outpost, but no one there had been surprised when they'd left immediately. They'd made camp near the beach, Kakashi and Yagami making both genin work on water-walking.

"You're going to need it tomorrow." the white-haired girl had winked  
"We're not taking a boat?" Naruto wondered  
"We're not." she confirmed, pointing at the sea that became unnaturally disturbed as soon as the beach was a few meters away "The only people that knew how to navigate these parts are dead, we'll be taking a short cut."  
"Running across dangerous water isn't a short-cut!" Naruto complained "It's another murder tentative!"  
"Still so dramatic!"  
That was only then that Sasuke understood – as the banter could look usual for other people, but he'd known them for years "This is Uzu no Kuni?" he whispered

"What's left of it." Kakashi confirmed somberly "I wrangled the hokage's authorization to make a detour since it was on our patrol route, but there aren't a lot of people who dare go there nowadays."  
"Why?"  
"Because Uzushiogakure may not stand anymore, the land still remembers them." the jounin smiled faintly "The Iwa, Kumo and Kiri task-force that destroyed the village sustained nearly 90% loss in the battle, ans there are still the remains of the fuuinjutsu defense system that made this possible. Between that, and the traitorous whirlpool around the coast, the main island has all but returned to wilderness."  
"And we're going there?"  
"We've got two Uzumaki with us."  
Sasuke hadn't protested anymore – to tell the truth he was rather curious, and if the other believed they could safely get there, then he'd believe in them. Beside, with how close to extinction his own clan had come, if there was someone who could understand both Naruto's and Yagami's need to see Uzushiogakure, it was him.

They'd started their trek on water early the next day, but like both genin had suspected, running on an agitated sea was far harder than the usual tree-running all Konoha shinobi learned to do in their early academy days...  
The distance, that in-land they'd have run in fifteen to thirty minutes, they took nearly five hours to travel at sea. Sasuke had to climb on Padfoot's back at the half-way point, and Naruto followed an hour later.  
Even their jounin-sensei was showing signs of fatigue by the time they'd landed on firm ground again...  
On the contrary, and despite the fact she had similar chakra reserve to him, any sign of fatigue Yagami had started to show along the way had all but disappeared by the time they stepped in Uzu no Kuni. Even Padfoot and Blanche seemed unusually antsy, as if feeling something the other couldn't.

Naruto's eyes widened as green words gave him a partial answer

[You've entered the ****Uzumaki Sanctuary****

while inside, all beings meeting the correct criteria benefit from:  
\- +25% to all regeneration rate  
\- +25% learning speed to all Uzumaki skills  
**The criteria is:** all possessors of Chaos Game or of Uzumaki blood]

"Visitors. It has been a long time since people dared to travel here..." an old voice mused, making all but Yagami stumbled – the voice grew warmer "But I can fell not one but... two Uzumaki among you, two holders of our bloodline's gift."  
The hesitation had been noted by all, and what followed was even more surprising.  
"So you've finally come back, mother?"  
"Inari!"  
Sasuke and Naruto had been dropped without any more ceremony by Padfoot, and both black and white nin-ken were following their partner toward the strange old man.  
"Yes, yes, I've missed the both of you too, Padfoot, Blanche, but don't be so enthusiastic, I'm old right now."  
Yagami had stopped a few steps behind her partners, eyeing the familiar scene in wonder.

The red hair were now as white as her own, but the green eyes so similar to her own and the familiar traits, if only older, couldn't be mistaken...  
"Oh child, why are you still here?" she sighed sadly  
She'd suspected, when she realized the Uzumaki were his descendants – but Inari had been a child born of three different deities, and so when she realized that even the youkai around them were becoming shorter-lived, she'd taught all she could to the boy, so that he may one day reach Mars – or rather Gaia as it's inhabitants now called it, as he would eventually outlive everyone he knew here on Earth...  
"I was going to go." the old man nodded, following easily her thoughts, sitting by her side as when he was a child even if the size were now inverted "But I realized Kaguya's spirit was still around..." he sighed "You were barely gone for a few years, that abomination known as Zetsu was already working at perverting my brothers' mind..."  
At that, his eyes stopped on Naruto and Sasuke, neither boy realizing it.

"For a while, the treacherous words went unheard... But without you, no one was there to remind father of the balance between war and peace. Seeing this, Asura grew resentful, and when the old man named Asura his successor, passing over our eldest brother, Zetsu's job was all but accomplished."  
Yagami sighed, not too surprised – after all she'd known the man with whom she'd had Inari, and he had been unable to learn from his mother's mistake, still clinging to the impossible dream of complete peace, never realizing that peace only had worth thanks to war.  
"With Indra and Asura broken apart, and father dead, our nine other siblings were left adrift, and each went his own way." a sigh "They've become bitter, as they saw the world change and forgot about father's preaching, and I can't help but blame him for that." a sigh "Father refused to ascend, fearing to become like Kaguya, and as such he left the Earth a mortal, leaving behind two grown children... But those nine, they were still children!"  
"Just like you."  
"Just like me." Inari nodded "But I wasn't alone, you'd left me your legacy in****Chaos********Game****, knowledge enough that I knew how to find Makai, and even Mars...It was my own decision to stay."  
"While it wasn't theirs." Yagami nodded easily understanding what her son from a previous life meant

After all, the nine bijuu where ill-adapted to this world, with no true body to call their own, and a life that would last as long as Kaguya's own lasted...  
They were children born to immortality in a world where very few beings could eve understand and accept their existence, and their progenitor had all but abandoned them by dying. Oh she doubted the bijuu would begrudge Hagoromo for it, but she did agree with Inari, the nine had been too young to be left alone, and with Indra and Asura broken apart, and Inari younger than them, they had had no guidance left.  
"When I realized what had happened, I knew what was Zetsu's aim." Inari stated "And I knew that it wasn't something humanity could survive alone."  
"So you stayed, to prevent Kaguya's return." Yagami realized, with both pride and anguish "Oh child, this wasn't your burden to take."  
"You're one to talk." the other laughed, eyes sparkling with mirth "I may have stayed on Earth, I still managed to get news from what became the Summoning realms, and Gaia. Do you know how they call you now? Midori no Tsuki Kamisama. You've even got a cult in both realms!"  
The young girl pinched the bridge of her nose "I had a feeling..." she muttered – after all, the ****Holy********System********Tab**** of****Chaos********Game**** had changed a lot with her latest incarnation, and she did receive quite a few prayers in the in-box attached

Finally, and without much surprise, Naruto was the first of the two genin to push his understandable confusion to the side "Wait a second... That tale when I was little, it wasn't a tale... you're really a goddess, Yami-chan?"  
"And clearly, Kakashi-sensei knew." Sasuke mused at the lack of negation from either  
"I knew my beautiful Yami-chan was goddess, of course!" Kakashi agreed easily, making both genin sweat-drop "I just didn't expect to be a grand-father already."

¤.¤.¤

The affirmation made Inari laugh, and he turned toward the rest of the group "I'm sorry, being alone on this island has made me forget my manners, I'm Taishou Inari, son of Taishou Tsukiko-hime and Otsutsuki Hagoromo no Kimi and Kin Ryoichi-dono, first of the Uzumaki clan."  
"Wow! You must be like ancient!" Naruto commented enthusiastically  
"A thousand years, give or take a few decades."  
"Er... Three parents?" Sasuke was the one to wonder  
"Impossible for humans, but quite possible for youkai, which all of my parents were. Even if I never met one of the three."  
"You will." Yagami announced with a happy smile  
Naruto felt a flicker of envy cross him – he would give anything for the ability to meet his parents, and here was someone who was indeed going to get the luck of meeting his father for the first time... But he pushed the emotion to the side quickly, instead coming nearer and taking a seat on the ground, just like the old man was encouraging him to do. After all, it may not be his father, the old man was still family wasn't he, he'd just told them he was the first Uzumaki!  
The next few hours, Inari told them about how he and his wife had chosen this island for their family as it wasn't too far from the forests where the other descendants of his mother lived, but retired enough to be safe from the growing conflicts.

The Uzumaki had all known Inari, but he'd soon realized that with the growing alliance with the Senju, hiding his immortality was becoming harder, and so he'd taken a leaf from the stories his mother had retold him of how youkai hid their longevity from humans by using first illusions, then learning shape-shifting, to appear older or younger and thus taking a new identity ever ever so often.  
He'd seen the shinobi clan be born, and grow – and the first village come to be, and thus when Konoha was born, Uzu no Kuni has soon taken to name the village where he resided Uzushiogakure.  
His eyes darkened as he arrived on the topic of the country's fall.  
"We were careless." he sighed "You'd told me, and I knew, that jealousy was something dangerous... But I grew careless. Indra and Asura had reincarnated and died again, but not before Zetsu had done his work once more and separated them once more, both of them still more powerful together than apart, and the traitorous being had managed to convince Asura that the bijuu were too dangerous to roam free."  
"Wait..." Sasuke's eyes widened "You mean... That Senju Hashirama and Uchiha Madara were the reincarnation of the Sage of the Six Path's children?"

"They were." a smile "And you have to admit that together they build something great. Life changed for the shinobi with the birth of the villages, they gained a new status, and far more respect than ever before, and more importantly, a safe haven. Before the villages, children your age would have already been fighting for years, medical progress were rare and kept inside a clan, siblings would rarely live to the adult age without loosing a few brothers or sisters..."  
"That also means that the bad blood between the Uchiha and the village that nearly led to the clan's destruction a few years ago has no real basis..." Sasuke bitterly realized "It was only engineered by a mad man."  
Inari's eyes widened – clearly, he hadn't heard about the clan's near destruction. Kakashi was the one to explain to him what had happened in Konoha's most recent history, before wondering "But still... Why are you here?"  
"Alone in the middle of the ghosts?" Inari sighed, and Sasuke was the one who understood best  
The young teen hadn't wanted to leave the bloody clan compound either after all, and he'd stayed angry at his mother for a long while, thinking she wanted to forget about all the dead, before realizing it was to help the living get over their grief that she'd made the clan move.

"I waited to see if they would come back..." Inari sighed "But I don't think my descendants are ready just yet to reclaim their country."  
"Don't worry, old man." Naruto smiled "I'm sure we'll all make something new here one day."  
Sasuke nodded – after all, even if the place was too full of bad memories for now, he too intended to take his clan back to their proper place eventually.  
Inari smiled, amused yet hopeful, but it was Yagami that mused "Always stronger together than apart, eh..."  
Kakashi's eyes widened as he realized what she was saying – but both genin remained oblivious.  
"I guess it maybe time for me to step back in the world." Inari agreed, the air shifting around him "Besides, it's so annoying to be that old.."  
"I told you there was a reason why most daiyoukai kept their physical age under 60 year old." Yagami laughed, as the old man before their eyes started to change, the years visibly dropping by the moment

"Waoh! You're not old anymore, old man!"  
"Physically I'm seven just like mother." the other nodded  
"Yeah, right. You're going to have to drop the mother too." Sasuke stated – it was rather strange to see someone that had looked to be over seventy year old the moment before now looking as young as their chuunin team-mate, and even odder to hear him call her mother  
"Right." the other agreed "Onee-san then?"  
"That works." the Uchiha shrugged "Most of the kids rescued from the labs call Yami-chan like that."  
Yagami winced at the affirmation – it was well-known enough among the shinobi that the genin hadn't realized her son wouldn't know.

She explained the circumstances of her birth gently to the stunned boy, who was now sorely regretting keeping away from the rest of the world for so long.  
"Even if you had come to Konoha, nothing guarantees you'd have found me faster." his mother pointed out "And the labs are far behind us now."  
Naruto and Sasuke, and even Kakashi, Inari noted, didn't necessarily agree with her if their eyes were to be believed – but he let the matter drop for the time, instead regaling Naruto and the others with stories of the golden age of Uzushiogakure.  
It was only later, as both genin and Yagami were asleep that Kakashi went back to the topic.  
"Nara Ren, which is the one you know as Kin Ryoichi if I've understand correctly, was born in Konoha. He immediately realized that with how intelligent his clan was, there was no point in hiding who an what he was to the closest people around him. First his parents, then when they died his uncle, and eventually even the hokage. He told him when she was born, then again when he realized things had gone wrong." his eyes were staring at the fire, but the jounin was remembering "That was when I was introduced to a seven year old boy that was a god."

"That must have been surprising."  
"It was. But it's difficult to get stuck on the god part when all I could see was a man desperate to find his mate." a sigh "It took us three years, and that day, I learned that the girl we'd been looking for was also my daughter."  
Inari winced, and Kakashi's eyes were quite far away as he continued.  
"All the people I'd ever cared about were dead, I was all but convinced I was cursed, and suddenly I had a goddess as a pup. A broken, battered child that had exhausted herself protecting the other children."  
The read-haired child nodded, not surprised.

"She could never not help."  
"I've realized since then." the jounin nodded "There were two child protecting her body when we found her, and she needed several operations before she managed to come out of her coma, despite the Uzumaki renowned vitality." a faint smile "The two kids never left her side. When she finally woke up, she couldn't speak for weeks, and only snapped out of it when placed in a fighting situation."  
His eyes strayed toward Sasuke, and Inari easily realized "The Uchiha clan massacre?"  
"Exactly. Naruto had already stuck himself to her side as soon as she left the hospital, Sasuke soon followed suit. They've all but grown up in the Alpha Inuzuka's den."  
"That's why that boy doesn't look like he's got something stuck up his bottom..." Inari mused, making the Hakate snort at the casual comment  
"The Uchiha had to change after the massacre. They suddenly went from the biggest clan in Konoha to less than half a dozen adults, and about twice that much children."

Inari nodded, and Kakashi continued "On top of Yagami and her two shadows, Konoha suddenly had nineteen other bloodline children, between three and eleven year old, and not one of them adapted to civilian life." a sigh" The hokage did what he could, enrolling them all into mind-healing session with the Yamanaka, and granting all of them the chuunin rank." a shrug "But as helpful as the Yamanaka are, they aren't all powerful and years in Orochimaru's clutches has left a mark on them all. Nowadays, it's down to nightmares mostly, but there were quite a few flash-backs at first. The children around them also had to learn to treat them as shinobi rather than fellow child as surprising them was dangerous..."  
Inari nodded – he'd seen quite a few things after all, in his centuries of life, and the reaction of recently liberated shinobi were among them. After that, both had eventually drifted to sleep to, no watch turns needed in the well protected island.

¤.¤.¤

The next day, Inari had showed them around the island – and it was difficult for Naruto to think that there had been a whole village full of people just like him. He was also thinking about what the man had said about the bijuu – something that was rather reminiscent of Yagami's own opinion when they'd learned about his tenants years earlier. The blond Uzumaki glanced toward his stomach – he'd spent years since then practicing meditation to try and contact the nine-tailed in his seal but it had worked yet, as he'd felt another consciousness deep within himself from time to time, but it was always sleeping...  
"So," Naruto was wondering a bit later "You've stayed alive all this time because you want to prevent a mad goddess from coming back and put everyone in some kind of over-powered genjutsu?"  
"That's... about it." Inari nodded with a warm smile – the boy may lack red hair, he really was an Uzumaki  
"And there's a mad guy going around making people fight each other to gather the nine bijuu for this plan."  
"Yes."

"And it's been a thousand years and he still haven't managed it?" Naruto loudly protested "The guy's just bad at his job!"  
"Not really, you forget that Zetsu is only the manifestation of Kaguya's will, it doesn't really have powers of its own since the bijuu are the one with the power." Inari explained "All it can do really is influence others. And when you think about it, he's managed quite a few impressing things with only his influence. There weren't any jinchuuriki a hundred years ago, and now they're the main power-check between the great villages."  
"Jinchuuriki?" Sasuke mused "I've heard the word before..."  
"Well I'd hope so." Inari eyed the jounin and chuunin "Has Konoha's academy standards fallen behind?"  
"For a while." Kakashi agreed, surprising both genin, who didn't realize that the civilians had dropped the standards at the Academy during most of their Academy years, the damages still being corrected by the current chuunin-sensei "Most of the damages have been undone, and those two are diligent enough about their training that it doesn't really impact them but well..."  
"Some things are difficult to undone." Yagami completed "Among them the understanding about fuuinjutsu had really slipped, so most genin only learn more about those things once they've entered active duty."

"And so... what are the jin..."  
"Jinchuuriki." Naruto repeated as the dark-haired boy trailed off a bit unsure about the unfamiliar word "It means power of the human sacrifice, and they're basically prisons for the nine bijuu."  
"You're... Surprisingly knowledgeable about this." Sasuke pointed out "And wait... Inari-san all but told us that the bijuu are immortal so..."  
"So there's no way the Yondaime killed the Kyuubi when it attacked Konoha? Yeah." Naruto nodded "It was just to make people shut up about the jinchuuriki's identity." a shrug "But it didn't work very well."  
Sasuke eyed him, the truth dawning on him "You were born on the day of the attack, weren't you?" his eyes widened, as he eyed the boy worryingly, visibly restraining himself from shaking him "You're alright, right?"  
Naruto eyed the rest of his team pleadingly as the other genin all but perform a clinical exam on him "Help me!"

"Uh, he's Kura-chan's host?" Inari mused  
"He is." Yagami nodded "But he's asleep for now, the Yondaime took half his chakra with him when he was sealed by the Shinigami so right now the grumpy fox is weakened, unbalanced and asleep." a sigh "Poor dear, it must really hurt but there's no way of helping him as long as he doesn't wake up."  
"Kura-chan?" Sasuke mumbled to Naruto  
"Apparently the bijuu all have name and personalities, they're just angry at being caged that's why they attack." a shrug "I couldn't tell you, I've never managed to even see him, and he's sleeping."  
"So that's why the civilians treat you like that?"  
"Yeah apparently the jinchuuriki before me were always kept hidden from the civilians but I wasn't and it back-fired so the Hokage passed a law that makes punishable by execution to talk about it to make them shut up, but it didn't manage to prevent them from treating me like dirt."  
"I'll never understand civilians." Sasuke mused "What would they prefer, for us to still have a rampaging beast in the city?"

The question was very honest – as Sasuke had barely spent time in the civilian part of the city between his childhood in the Uchiha compound and the later years spent mainly with the Inuzuka. Naruto smiled, relieved to see the secret he kept hidden for years out of fear of being seen differently wasn't having that much impact on his best friend.  
"Uh. Is it because of the Kyuubi that you've got the same senses as the Inuzuka?" the dark-haired boy realized "Now I'm jealous."  
"Bah, you've got your eyes of doom waiting to be unlocked and then you'll be learning jutsu even faster, don't talk about jealous!" Naruto commented good-naturally, the two boys resuming their usual banter  
It was a team 7 plus one even more united than before that left Uzu no Kuni, and eyeing her two team-mates quizzing each other as they trekked toward the northern outpost, Yagami mused that it was maybe time for some more secrets to be broken – after all, given what Inari had told them, the destiny waiting for Naruto was just around the corner, as there was no way Zetsu wasn't going to try and come between the two boys.  
The mission itself went without a hitch – it was as they were trekking back toward Konoha that Naruto had paused in his running, a notification flashing green in** Chaos Game**

****[Secondary Quest! C-rank Rescue****  
__a group of travelers nearby is attacked by bandits__  
****Reward******: **+5XP per goal, +25 000 ryo upon completion]

"There's people in trouble this way!" the blond claimed  
Kakashi and Sasuke shared a nonplussed glance, not knowing what had set off their team-mate, but it wasn't the first time the Uzumaki bloodline let Naruto and Yagami know things ahead of them, and seeing that this time Inari was agreeing too, this was clearly once more the mysterious inheritance at work...  
With that the team plus one turned toward the direction the three Uzumaki were pointing, and soon Kakashi's enhanced senses, just like Yagami's, could catch the tell-tale sounds of battle.  
On a sign of the jounin, they slowed their approach, and Naruto and Sasuke dropped into the formations they'd spent hours working on in the village, the Uchiha taking altitude while on the contrary Naruto was getting closer to the ground to be ready to jump into action.  
Sharing a glance, Inari and Yagami slipped into the shadows, getting to the other side of the fight, while Kakashi stayed ready to step in if the genin needed it.

Finally, they happened in a clearing where a wagon was stopped, horse already bleeding out, a woman holding a child to her chest while a man and young teenager were trying to keep more than a dozen bandits at bay – but it was clear the bandits were toying with them, and the elder man was already sporting a nasty gash in the face...  
The woman screamed as the teenager was taking a hit meant for her, his right arm now all but useless, and Naruto jumped into the fray, trusting Sasuke to cover for him.  
By the time Naruto had downed two bandits, the first by using the same claws he'd developed as the Inuzuka when he'd unlocked the ****Jinchuuriki's********Enhanced********Senses****, the second with a chakra-reinforced fist, Sasuke had indeed started to assist him as the third bandit, that was trying to take him by surprise was soon felled by a volley of shuriken, and the next one learned why one never should mess with a Uchiha's fire.  
In the time the two genin had taken to take care of four bandits, the other two Uzumaki had downed four bandits each, Kakashi himself taking care of the leader when he realized he was coming a bit too close to Naruto's back.

Even if the genin didn't realize it, what followed was more or less the same that had happened with Team 8, Yagami and Inari staying with the civilians while Kakashi took the two genin to the side after having taken care of the bandits body.  
While both genin had the advantage, if it could be called that, to have already witnessed battle and seen blood spilled and corpses fell – never before had they been the one doing the fighting, and the killing, and sparring couldn't compare to this harsh reality.  
The team, upon realizing that the family of four was moving to Konoha, offered to escort them to the village. Since the horse had to be put down, Padfoot had been put to work, Yagami and Inari tinkering with the harness to somehow make it fit on the Grimm, who was putting up with the ordeal with an affronted look on his face.

It took the shinobi a week instead of two days to make their way with the civilian family, but they had easily sympathized with the four of them, as between Naruto's open character that easily endeared him to people, civilians from Konoha itself excepted, and the fact the group had saved them, it was difficult for the civilians to stay wary – not to mention that now that he was relaxing a bit, Inari was proving that the blond truly was an Uzumaki, as their character was surprisingly similar...  
The family of four came from Yu no Kuni, where they had owned one of the many inn surrounding the multiple hot sources that owned the country it's name. Their business hadn't been flourishing, but was enough to feed the family – but when a letter had come from Akemi's own sister asking for help, they'd left everything behind to move to Konoha, where Ayaka, the mother's twin-sister had recently lost her husband.

"We've offered her to come home, of course," the father – Kazuo – explained "but when she told us she didn't want to leave behind her memories of her husband, we decided to move instead."  
"Wow. That's courageous. Won't you miss your own house?"  
"At first, yes." the man nodded, before smiling at the baby girl he was currently holding "but as long as I've got my family around, I'll be home."  
The affirmation made Inari smile, happily nuzzling against his mother's side like he had as a kit – and Naruto thought about it a bit before nodding "Like my apartment is empty because I stay at the Inuzuka den!" he realized – Kazuo didn't understand the wording, but Yagami and Kakashi nodded along, making his smile widen at the realization that blood or not, he already had a family around him

"So does your sister have a business in Konoha?" Inari wondered "There are some hot springs there too, if I remember correctly?" He mused - it ad been decades since the last time he'd stepped inside the allied Hidden Village after all  
"I don't know about the hot springs," Akemi answered, not bothering with the strange formulation as she put it down to shinobi being strange "but my sister own a Tea House near the clan District."  
"Oh, I know the place!" Yagami realized with a smile, Kakashi smiling along  
"Yeah, those two spent way too much time there." Naruto nodded, shuddering theatrically "I mean, it's staying in seiza for hours in near silence, ugh!"  
Inari nodded his agreement, making the shinobi muse that even if physically the red-hair and Yagami looked twin-like, in terms of temper the old Uzumaki may as well be Naruto's twin. The white-haired girl smiled, amused at both boys reaction, but inside she was rather happy that Kakashi did enjoy those moments of calm, finding it rather symbolic to share something she'd learn on the knees of her previous father with the current one given that the two shared, as unexpected as it was, quite a few similarities...  
When they finally arrived to Konoha, the five shinobi had earned a permanent invitation to come and see the family, and visit the tea house.

****[Secondary Quest Complete! C-rank Rescue****  
__a group of travelers nearby is attacked by bandits__  
****Goal complete:**** both genin have been blooded  
****Goal complete:****all civilians saved (4/4)  
****Goal failed: ****horse saved (0/1)  
****Goal complete:**** escort the civilians to Konoha  
****Reward******: **+30XP, +25 000 ryo shared between ****Inventories****]

****[Level up!****Naruto is now level 33!  
__+2CP, +10SP]__

The blond eyed the green words thoughtfully – but it was only later, as the mission report had been filed, Inari's existence explained to a stunned hokage, then filed in as the twenty-second survivor of Orochimaru's lab that had been still in a coma until recently and inducted as a genin, and all had headed back to the Inuzuka den that he asked.  
"Say, Yami-chan..."  
"Yes?"  
"I know I was told to hide it because that's the reason that people feared and destroyed us Uzumaki... But is it alright if I share our inheritance with our pack?"

Inari and his mother shared a smile in the dark.  
"That inheritance is a gift that was always meant to be shared, Naruto. It's just that it has to be done intelligently." the goddess answered – after all it was true, none of her heroes had ever met their fate alone, and****Chaos********Game****had played a factor in this each and every time, bringing them and their friends, pack or family closer  
Naruto smiled too in the dark as he fell asleep, mind made.

* * *

****[Yagami****/ Age 7 / Level 83  
****Physical Main Stat 121(181): ****Strength 36(63) / Agility 64(87) / Endurance 21 (31)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 146(191):****Intelligence 61(85) / Will 32(44) / Wisdom 53(62)  
****Social Main Stat 95(147):****Presence 15(23) / Perception 52(75) / Luck 28(49)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 326(486) / HP regen/min 3,29(5,4) / Chakra Points 603 / CP regen/min 6,64  
Damage 44,4(77,2) / Defense 25,5(44,4) / Reaction Speed 51,1(70,2)  
Chakra control 41,4(55,2) / Chakra Density 38,3(53,8) / Mind Speed 58,6(78,1)  
Critic Chance 21,5(41,4) / Critic Damage Multiplier 12,4(34,4), Loot Bonus 30,2(49)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 11 / Level 33  
****Physical Main Stat 62(81):****Strength 28(34) / Agility 22(28) / Endurance 12 (19)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 54(75): ******I**ntelligence 15(15) / Will 24(39) / Wisdom 15(21)  
****Social Main Stat 46(74): ****Presence 15(16) / Perception 16(21) / Luck 15(37)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 172(238) / HP regen/min 1,74(2,42) / Chakra Point 391 / CP regen/min 3,91  
Damage 26,2(32,2) / Defense 16,8(23,5) / Reaction Speed 19(25,3)  
Chakra control 13,8(18) / Chakra Density 21,3(33,9) / Mind Speed 15(16,8)  
Critic Chance 2,21(3,78) / Critic Damage Multiplier 3,93(11,9), Loot Bonus 15,2(29,6)]

**[******Sasuke****/ Age 11 / Level 34  
****Physical Main Stat 72(90): ****Strength 23(29) / Agility 34(46) / Endurance 15(15)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 51(77): ****Intelligence 31(41) / Will 16(19) / Wisdom 14(17)  
****Social Main Stat 48(62): ****Presence 16(19) / Perception 20(32) / Luck 12(12)]

**[******Kiba****/ Age 11 / Level 31  
****Physical Main Stat 77(107):****Strength 34(52) / Agility 26(35) / Endurance 17(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 54(60): ****Intelligence 12(12) / Will 25(31) / Wisdom 17(17)  
****Social Main Stat 39(48):****Presence 10(10) / Perception 15(24) / Luck 14(14)]

**[******Sakura****/ Age 11 / Level 21  
****Physical Main Stat 37(40):****Strength 12(15) / Agility 15(15) / Endurance 10(10)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 78(102): ****Intelligence 42(52) / Will 21(27) / Wisdom 15(23)  
****Social Main Stat 37(40): ****Presence 10(10) / Perception 17(20) / Luck 10(10)]

**Team breakout:**

****Team 6:**** sensei Sarutobi Asuma, Isao(chuunin) Ino and Shino  
****Team 7:**** sensei Hatake Kakashi, Yagami(chuunin) Naruto and Sasuke  
****Team 8:**** sensei Nara Ren, Ayame(chuunin) Kiba and Sakura  
****Team 9:****sensei Might Guy, Neji, Lee and Shikamaru  
****Team 10:**** sensei Yuuhi Kurenai,Tenten, Chouji and Hinata


	4. III Roots and Leaves

****III. Roots and Leaves****

It was a few days after both team 7 and 8 had arrived back from their first C-rank missions that the Sandaime was visited by a somber Shikaku, Jiraya seemingly appearing out of nowhere thanks to his chameleon jutsu as soon as the village leader had secured his office.  
"Our investigation are complete. And it's far worse than expected."  
Hiruzen sighed as they dropped several heavy files on his desk and started leafing through them, face becoming darker as the pages went on. Eventually, after a long moment he sighed deeply, pushing his chair away from the desk.  
"I guess I was fooling myself, hoping our old friendship would mean something to him. It should have been clear with the Uchiha disaster it wasn't the case, yet..."  
"You can't help but believe in people." Jiraya pointed out not unkindly "There are worst failing out there, old man."

"Not when the whole village is suffering from it." Hiruzen contradicted, face hard "I want him gone by the end of the week."  
"We can't act rashly, he's managed to maintain a good reputation with the civilians and some of the more radical elements among shinobi." the Nara clan head pointed out "Publicly taking him down would destabilize the village enough that the other hidden village would try to take advantage of the situation."  
"I know." a shrug "But Danzo and I are just old man in the end... Even the best shinobi can't win against old age."  
"You mean to arrange a natural death?"  
"I may hate the shadier dealings necessary in running a military organization, I still do understand they're unavoidable." Hiruzen shrugged "I have turned a blind eye to his shadier dealings for years, but it's because I've always been persuaded Danzo only ever acted to the village benefit by doing what I was too weak to do... I didn't expect his vision of the village's benefit to be quite that contrary to mine." a sigh "But there's a reason why I never appointed him as the Anbu head commander, despite his natural inclination to underhanded manipulations."

An Anbu stepped out of the shadows, making even Jiraya jump. The man was wearing the standard black uniform of the special force, swirling tattoo clearly displayed on his shoulder, and a canine mask with two violet strips on the cheek, rather reminiscent of Yagami and Ren' marking, if not for the color.  
"About time you decided to do something about the old fart, Hiruzen."  
"I should have listened to you far sooner old friend, I'm sorry." he turned toward Jiraya and Shikaku "This is Mongoose, he's the Anbu commander."  
"Alright, so if your Anbu commander had already told you that Danzo was a bastard, why did you make us do this investigation?"  
"because he's a stubborn old man." Mongoose answered irreverently "And also because I was already expanding too much energy keeping the crafty old bastard out of my Anbu."  
"Not quite successfully."

"I had to choose my battle." the Anbu admitted "I choose which of my men I could let him get his paws on because I knew those were men that would always come back to me."  
"And did they?" Shikaku wondered  
"They did." they couldn't see his predatory smile, but it was clearly present in his voice "Because that underground organization he's so proud of isn't quite as convincing as he'd hoped when the members aren't brainwashed children."  
"And the seals?"  
"That, I can't do anything about." the other admitted, any levity leaving his voice

"Time to change that." Jiraya smiled, taking a large scroll out "Danzo is good at fuuinjutsu, but he's not Uzumaki-level good." the scroll rolled open, letting a large seal appear "This is a counter for the curse seal applied on all Root agents. We've already tested it, and it works."  
"You've put your hand on one of Danzo's pawns and he hasn't noticed?" the Anbu commander whistle, clearly impressed  
"He though the boy was already dead;" Jiraya shrugged "He was only _mostly_ dead, so I dragged Ren to heal him, and the boy's been working with us ever since."  
"Voluntarily?"  
"The brainwashing isn't as universally efficient as Danzo hoped. This boy was rather extroverted naturally, so the emotion-suppression training the kids go through wasn't completely effective. And apparently Shin has got a friend still inside, so he's been helping us as much as he could."

"Where did you hide him?" the Sandaime wondered  
"The only place Danzo can't get an insider in." Shikaku answered with a yawn "The most emotional and troublesome clan of all."  
"The Inuzuka." the Anbu commander realized, laughing loudly at that "I can't believe I didn't think of it before!"  
The four conspirators had met two more times before they were ready – they had to take down Danzo at the same time as his hidden personnel army, and make the operation discreet enough that the civilians didn't realize anything was amiss after all, and as old as he was, the man known as the Yami no Shinobi still was one of the village's very best.

"You know, mask or not, you hair are very distinctive." Kakashi fretted  
"I'm going to disregard how ironic it is for you of all people to tell me that and simply remind you I'm a goddess." Yagami mused as the familiar Alpha mask slipped in place, hair growing black in the same instant  
Her father eyed her, surprised for a second, before rolling his eyes "I should have guessed." with that, he turned to the other Uzumaki present, and wasn't that surprised as the red-haired became just as black-haired once his own mask was put on  
With that, he put his own mask on, before turning toward the fourth member of their team – Ren aka Anbu Raven.

While, gods and goddesses or not, Hiruzen preferred avoid using young child in dangerous missions - no matter how skilled they were – he was still the village's leader first and foremost, and as such as put his personal opinion to the side to put to use the essential resource he had at hands : two Uzumaki fuuinjutsu practitioners, that would be essentials in the coming mission.  
The operation against Danzo was going to be conducted in several simultaneous phases – Anbu teams would cover all of the Root Headquarter exits and start to flush the agents, incapacitating them as they went.  
Inari and Ren would then start getting rid of the cursed seals - the Nara keeping them immobilized while the Uzumaki took care of the seal-work, while the Anbu would ensure the agents didn't try to activate any suicide seal or jutsu before their turn came. The freed Roots agents would then be sent to a rehabilitation facility that had already been used for Orochimaru's victims.

Meanwhile, the Sandaime himself would be visiting Danzo for tea, delaying the man's reaction for the moment when he inevitably realized something was going on.  
Mongoose and Hound would be tagging along as the Anbu on protection duty, which wouldn't surprise their target since the hokage always had several guards trailing him – while Jiraya and Yagami would wait in the shadows.  
The young goddess was a bit ambivalent – the shadow blending technique her black flames had mutated into in this life time were an advance form of a Nara technique, she'd realized, and while she could come in an out of the shadows with but a though nowadays, thanks to the extensive training she'd done, taking someone with her was far more tiring, and dangerous.  
It would have probably been easier to do this with Ren, as her fellow god wasn't susceptible to the touch of death that all mortals seemed to feel when in her own shadows, but the Nara would be better employed with Inari since the Uzumaki hadn't developed a technique to effectively immobilize the Roots agents when he undid their seal over the long years of his life – and since very few Nara ever went into the Anbu, Ren would have to be his partner, logically leaving Jiraya as her partner since the man wouldn't fool Danzo if he tried to pose as an Anbu, leaving Hound and Mongoose to be the hokage's escort of the day, something they were used to.

From the shadows, Yagami and Jiraya saw the moment Danzo realized his forces were under attack – then the moment when he understood the attack had been ordered by the hokage himself, and decided he wouldn't go down without a fight.  
With a surge of chakra, she propelled both of them out of the cold darkness, Jiraya, despite being unbalanced by the sudden return of most of his senses that had been blunted in the shadows reacting fast enough to make his first attack count, surprising their target enough that, hadn't Danzo had a few of his own agent nearby, he'd have taken a fatal hit.  
The root agents that had been laying in waiting, just as they had, had immediately gone on the offensive when given the order, attacking with a lack of self-preservation that spoke volume about their training – it was clear that their only aim was to preserve Danzo himself, and if possible let him make an escape, no second thought even given to their own safety and life.

Yagami winced – as good as he was, Jiraya was a front-liner, and fighting in the restrained area that the house was clearly wasn't his forte.  
Her shadows rushed to assist, immobilizing one of the root agents long enough for Mongoose to trap him with a call of_**"Magen: Shinkarasu!"**_  
"So there's an Uchiha left in the Anbu corp?" Danzo mused, more intrigued than really worried "Interesting, how did you manage to escape my eyes, boy?" he wondered  
There wasn't any Uchiha left in the Anbu, Yagami realized, surprised at the affirmation. Jiraya hadn't expected it either, and Danzo realized it, immediately trying to sow discord "Uh, not trusted enough to know with whom you fight, uh Jiraya-kun?" a smile "You shouldn't be surprised, you've always been the odd one out of the Sannin between the genius medic-nin Senju hime and the fellow orphan so naturally good he topped even clan child, you were always the dead last, and no impressive title has changed that, has it?"

The toad sage laughed "You think I don't realize that? But look around you, Danzo... Where are your vaunted geniuses? They broke, like all other genius, whereas I'm still here to protect Konoha from mad men like you!"  
"All that I've ever done, it always was for the good of this village!"  
"Helping Hanzo kill my students was for the good of the village?" the tall white-haired shinobi repeated – Yagami winced, as she could feel his emotions in turmoil - and understood easily his state of mind given what he'd just said  
The old fighter in front of them didn't miss the other's emotional lapse either, and took advantage of it, wind chakra condensing into a succession of sharp nearly invisible blade flying toward the man. Jiraya flew through the activation of his_**Hari**__**Jizo**_, a second too late.  
Seeing that the other was wounded Hound rushed to his side, stopping the still active root agent before he could push the advantage, tanto encased in white lightning chakra.

Hiruzen took advantage of the situation to rush toward Danzo, both elder shinobi proving that age really was mostly numbers when one had a good enough mastery of his own chakra and body, Mongoose taking any opening left by the Sandaime in a show of teamwork that prove both had been cooperating for a long time.  
Feeling he was loosing ground, Danzo jumped out of the fight, dropping the bandage around his head and right arm, making all pause in horror at the sight unveiled.  
"How far did you fall?" Hiruzen whispered, voice broken with both grief and disgust

But it was Mongoose reaction that was the worst, proving that like the old war-hawk had guessed, he was an Uchiha – and Danzo had not only one stolen eye in his right eye socket, but ten more were wildly rolling around in the deathly pale and unnatural arm that replaced his own; an arm they would later learn contained Senju DNA - more precisely the Shodaime's DNA.  
The kind of experimental work that reeked of Orochimaru's touch.  
Once the shock had washed over him, the Anbu commander rushed toward the councilman, fighting style clearly that of an experimented Uchiha – which made Yagami pause in her removing of the seal she was doing. The older Uchiha alive was thirty year old according to what she knew – while the man fighting, her soul sense could feel, was just as old as the hokage and Danzo...

Danzo on his side, was surprised to find himself on the defensive, and with a sharp hit, disarmed – it was only then that he realized, recognizing the familiar fighting style "Uchiha Kagami. You're not supposed to be alive!"  
"Oh you tried your best to have me six feet under!" the Anbu commander confirmed "But I told you, didn't I? That I would always be there to protect Konoha from the like of you?"  
"Wait! We shouldn't fight against each other, our objective has always been the same, you know it! Hiruzen, you know too, don't you, that I've only ever fought for the greater good of Konoha?"  
if the formulation hadn't been enough to set Yagami off – the pervasive feeling of a consciousness trying to impose its will on her own would have done the job, and the young girl erupted in a fiery aura – noticing from afar that she didn't know her temper was still tied to her elemental manipulation – and she stalked among the fighters that had frozen in their steps, like a predator cornering its prey, hair bleeding back to it's usual white "You have guts, Shimura Danzo."

¤.¤.¤

By the time the old shinobi had realized his technique hadn't taken hold on her, she was already facing him, claws plunging into his eye-socket to wrench the red orbit out of it.  
"Daring to try and control the mind of a goddess."  
"Bah! I don't know what lies you've fed Hiruzen, but there are no gods on this Earth!" the war-hawk laughed bitterly "Otherwise why would they let humanity tear itself apart like it does?"  
"Free-will, not that I'm surprise you don't realize. You're not a great fan of it for anyone but yourself are you?" a smile "But you've miscalculated this time, Danzo. After all, you told them not to fight you for the good of Konoha. You never told them to assist you."  
The elder shinobi realized it, as he jumped out of her grasp, empty sockets bleeding and looking for a way to run away – only to realize that indeed, the four furious shinobi around him, who were covering all exits, didn't intend to offer any assistance.  
Making the eye disappear in her ****Inventory****, Yagami felt the familiar weight of FuurinKiba fall into her hands.  
"You think to fight me, a master of fuuton, with a blade?" Danzo laughed "Very well, I'll entertain you, little girl!"

The next few minutes, Hiruzen, Kakashi, Kagami and Jiraya could but watch as the kunoichi danced between the elder man's strike, movement growing progressively faster as chakra enhanced her body.  
"This girl." a sigh was heard as the second team made its way to the house "She's barely holding her powers in check." Ren mused with a worried sigh  
"Mother is enjoying herself." Inari commented serenely by his side "Don't worry too much, father."  
"Kit. If she uses her ****Past********Life********Aura****, she'll more than likely unleash all the restrains placed on her soul."

"Oh." Inari eyes widened "Then we should probably calm her down. What happened here?"  
"Danzo used a technique that imposed his will on all of us." Hiruzen explained "We wouldn't even have realized if she hadn't resisted it."  
"Hm. Mind-manipulation, no wonder she's annoyed, she's always been kinda touchy about it." Ren nodded, then shrugged "Then I guess she's already doing all she can to regain her temper..."  
"And that is?"  
"Beating the shit out of the person that annoyed her of course." Inari stated with a smile, Ren nodding along  
The hokage sighed at the affirmation, that truth be told didn't surprise him that much – the girl had both Uzumaki and Inuzuka blood after all, not to mention a temper as hot as any Uchiha...

"Of course." Ren nodded, making him realized he must have talked aloud "Just like the Uzumaki all descend from Inari, the Uchiha are all the descendants of Indra and one of our grand-child." a shrug "Which technically means the Uchiha are more closely linked to the Inuzuka and Uzumaki than the Hyuuga, but well, apparently they've forgotten about it in their attempts to deny they were linked to the Hyuga at all..."  
The affirmation made Mongoose cough in surprise, eyes never leaving the on-going fight as he asked clarifications about the affirmation – Ren glanced toward the hokage, and seeing that the old man seemed just as interested in the affirmation explained how most of the clans tended to descend from youkai mingling with humans. While it wasn't widely known, some clan still remembered after all, so it wasn't really a secret...

The Nara was rather amused to note that while he was listening attentively to his explanations, the Anbu commander eyes hadn't left Yagami's silhouette. He himself was watching just as intently – after all**, ******Chaos********Game****may reset their fighting skills in each new incarnation, they were currently in a world that remembered his __bambina__ so intimately her old abilities could often be glimpsed at despite her new body, and behind the small white-haired girl, he could all but catch the shadow of the Moon Hime's elegant silhouette and peerless talent with a blade.  
The two fighters had started to add jutsu in their fight of kenjutsu – not the flashy, powerful technique favored by front-line fighter, but the more subtle elemental enhancement true assassin favored.

Wind to elongate a blade and make it more cutting, fire to block a path, water to slow down a movement, earth to make the enemy stumble, or to propel yourself toward the other, lightning to fry the roots that had tried to ensnare a feet...  
"Uh, so on top of stealing the Uchiha legacy, he's also stolen the Senju one?" Hound commented  
"Well, he's worked with Orochimaru on his experiment." the hokage pointed out, now worn from so many disappointment from the same man that had once been a friend  
Ren frowned as one more of Yagami's attack seemed to vanish without effect – but the girl herself didn't seemed too annoyed.  
"You've lost two eyes with my last two fatal blows." a smile "Shall I kill you eight more time for you to finally meet Death, mortal?"  
The fear in the other eyes' was real this time – clearly he hadn't expected her to understand how his technique worked. Leaving any idea of discretion behind, the other called _**"Mokuton: Jubaku Eiso!"**_

A large tree started to grow out of the ground, trying to ensnare the young goddess, only for it's growth to be stopped by a touch and a flair of chakra.  
"What! Impossible!" Jiraya whispered "This technique cannot be stopped like that. Only a _**mokuton**_ user could do something like that!"  
"You know, you're all so sure that elemental manipulation are the kekkai genkai itself that you never even try to do the legwork." Ren mused, an ice needle appearing between his fingers with a flare of chakra "The kekkai genkai is an enhanced ability to use the element, not the ability itself." he explained with a shrug "Anyone can use combined elements with enough work... It's just that mastery the melding of two primary elements into a new one is a bitch to manage, so it needs even more elemental control than regular elmental jutsu."  
"Precisely." Yagami nodded from a few feet away, having used Danzo's surprise to press her advantage "I have no real interest in _**mokuton**_ honestly, I just tried it out a bit to as a control exercise." a shrug "But I've always been more of a fire and blood spirit!"

With that, the blade that had gone back to it's sheath flashed out of it so fast only the fact all were trained shinobi let them see the lightning-fast nine strike attack.  
Danzo fell the the ground.  
"I can't believe you used Xiao Lan's favorite attack!" Ren laughed  
A shrug "I was curious to see whether I could do it or not."  
"Wait... It was your first time trying it?" the Nara realized, surprised

"Well of course." Yagami raised an eyebrow at him "Like you said, it was part of my dear pupil fighting style, I couldn't just steal it, could I? But well, I needed to end this fight before it got out of hand, as entertaining as it was, since hokage-sama didn't want the civilians to realize anything was amiss, and the _**Kuzuryuusen**_ was uniquely suited."  
"Since it inflicted nine nearly simultaneous killing blows." Kagami completed with an approving nod "Hiruzen, give her to me!" he all but demanded, making everyone around sweat-drop  
Except Ren, who sighed "Well, I guess your oldest power is still active."  
"Oldest power?" Inari wondered  
"Attracting dangerous people." the Nara assessed – making stumble again the people who were just getting back up from their first surprise, while the Uzumaki easily nodded his agreement with the statement

"Don't change the topic!" Kagami protested "You haven't answered, Hiruzen!"  
"Mongoose, it's not really the time for your antics." the hokage sighed, pinching his nose with a tired sigh  
"What antics? I've finally found someone to pass on my skills and job!"  
"Weren't you going to take Crow?"  
"Bah, as skilled as he is, the kid is too soft-hearted. He's useful as a stand-in from time to time, but taking the job full-time would break him." the Anbu commented easily "I've decided to sent him to the medic-nin course under a _**genjutsu**_ when he's around. I was going to tell you eventually!"  
The hokage sighed at the affirmation but decide it wasn't the priority, and waved the Anbu team waiting to take things over "You know what you have to do."

The masked shinobi nodded, and two of them went to the body, starting to heal the wounds with healing chakra, while the other two started to comb the room.  
The next day, the tragic death of councilman Shimura Danzo in his sleep was announced, and a day of mourning enacted in the village. It was three days latter, as she was standing with her team among the rows of on duty shinobi participating in the funeral, that Yagami noted a black-haired boy near her wearing the same chuunin vest as she did.  
"As good as your **genjutsu** skills are, you can't fool my senses."  
"I knew it!" the other whispered excitingly, his tone quite fitting of the adolescent appearance he had rather than his more advanced real age – but then again, giving Inari's own character, she couldn't really judge him "I've come to recruit you!"  
"For one, I'm too young, even by the old standards." the white-haired girl pointed out "Not to even mention the newer age-limit."  
She was telling the truth – before the reform on age-limit for gaining a rank, Anbu had seldomly been recruited earlier than thirteen, Ren and Itachi being among the notable exception – and with the new laws, no Anbu could be younger than the jounin minimum legal age, in other words fifteen year old.

¤.¤.¤

"Bah, it's not like you're really concerned with that!" he protested, pouting  
"I'm not." Yagami confirmed "After all, it is the place where my personal talents would be best used..."  
"See!"  
"But I've got to keep my eyes on someone." she eyed her team-mates "A pair of someones."  
"because of your... holier job?"  
She snorted at the formulation, but spread her soul sense around him before offering "Drop by the Inuzuka den, I'll tell you why."  
"Not asking for Hiruzen's authorization anymore?"

She eyed him, eyes more serious than her apparent eyes "I know precisely the role you want me to take, and I've even already done the job in a previous life." a smile "There is a reason I'm called Shadow, and I wasn't always able to use those." she stated as her own shadow waved at him  
"New friend?" Sasuke asked as they headed back toward the Inuzuka clan compound after the ceremony, team 8 meeting them a few moments into their walk  
"Something like that." she nodded "I met him during my last mission."  
"Oh. So is he here to recruit you into Anbu?"

Yagami's reaction wasn't as loud as Naruto and Kiba's, but she was still surprised.  
"What?" the Uchiha heir shrugged "We all know you're jounin-level, so between you and Inari our team is quite frankly completely overpowered, even if you're kind enough to hang back and let us learn."  
"Uh?" was Naruto's eloquent reaction at the affirmation "Oh, he's right, isn't he?" he realized  
"He's... Not wrong." she agreed  
"But I don't want you going away, Yami-chan!" the blond protested in a loud wail

"I'm not." she reassured him, while spreading her senses  
The only person nearby except from team 7 and 8 was Kagami himself, Isao, and Tsume, all of them people that had a vague idea about the fact Ren and her weren't quite normal, even if only Tsume and Kakashi themselves had realized until recently that they really were deities. She called the matriarch over, knowing naruto would catch up with Hana later since the sister of Kiba was like often at the the veterinary office managed by the clan.  
They all settled in the den, the pack easily deciding that if the unknown among them was trusted by Yagami, then so would they – even if most didn't realize just where her ability to judge people's trustworthiness came from, they'd all realized a long time ago that if Yagami decided someone was to be trusted, then he was reliable. It was, after all, a very precious gift in the shinobi world.

"Let's start with a tale." Ren was the one to suggest, having caught his mate's intent from their bond  
Yagami raised an eyebrow at the suggestion, but let him take the lead.  
Kiba, Sasuke and Naruto happily settled for the familiar retelling, Inari and Sakura hearing the story for the first time, just like Kagami, that only had his knowledge second hand from the hokage.  
Only this time, the story didn't stop at the end of the young goddess ascension story.

From there, Ren weaved the tale of a girl reborn as the twin to the heir to a mafia family...  
"What's mafia?"  
"They were like yakuza, but with special powers."  
"Like magic?" Naruto wondered, all but turning into a young boy again with the familiar tale-telling  
Even Inari, who realized who the story was about, and Sakura who'd never heard the tale before, were captivated by the way Ren was making a world come alive with words and shadows.  
"Nope! They had fire in their soul." the jounin contradicted

By now, even the adults were giving their attention to the story, as they all realized too who Ren was talking about, and getting rather intrigued – it wasn't everyday you were lucky enough to hear about a real goddess!  
"There were seven type of fire, and all were born from the will to live when in a near-death situation. Among those seven flames, one was called the Sky, and it called all others to it." Ren explained "And of course, the little goddess and her brother were Skies." a smile  
Yagami was the one to interrupt, a fond smile on her lips too "They were fourteen when their life was barged in by the most improbable personage, here to bring Fate to their door."  
"More improbable than a giant?" Kiba wondered  
"It was a baby looking barely two year old, that was also the best hitman in the world."  
"More improbable than a giant." the Inuzuka matriarch nodded at the unexpected affirmation

Ren took over the tale again, telling about how the two Skies had assembled the elements around them, with their will to change the family they would be inheriting.  
"No one had been expecting it when on the day the new heir was to be formally introduced with his elements, he came with a Shadow."  
"What's a Shadow?"  
"In that world, it was the partner to the boss, someone hidden in the shadows by his side, to take responsibility for some of the hardest decisions." Ren smiled "Just like the Anbu commander."  
"Uh... the hokage doesn't do everything alone, uh?" Naruto shook his head "I'm dumb of course he doesn't, Shikaku-oji is always going to help jiji with is work!"  
"But Shikaku-san still has to obey the hokage at the end of the day." Sasuke pointed out, having understood better – which really didn't surprised Yagami, the boy was the best suited for Anbu of all the genin present

As for Kagami, he didn't interrupt the story – but he now realized why exactly the young Hatake had told him she understood what he wanted from her; and of course she had been right, this shadow role she had assumed for her brother was precisely the kind of role he had faked his death for and done ever since for Hiruzen.  
From there, Ren explained how the twins had broken an ancient curse, freeing the hit-man – and how the hit-man had thereafter shamelessly seduced the goddess, making said goddess laugh.  
His tone grew somber as he informed "But godly powers aren't meant for the mortal realms, and the young goddess had never shied from using her powers while helping her __famiglia___. _Death, once more, recalled his new sister early from her new life."  
The Anbu commander winced, somehow not too surprised. Power always came with a price...

"But the hit-man was stubborn, and he refused to let Death separate him from the woman he loved. He called to the gods, and Life was the one to answer, telling him that she'd give him one challenge, and if he succeed, then he'd find his wife again." Yagami was the one to tell as Ren arrived to Sawada Kazami's early death  
"So romantic." Sakura whispered,  
Tsume snorted as she eyed Ren "That, or unbelievably arrogant?" she mused  
"A bit of both." Yagami affirmed as she smiled fondly at her hit-man  
Together, they took turn retelling the life of a little goddess born near someone that felt like a monster, yet wasn't one, of siblings stubborn and kind and too intelligent trying to do something forbidden and paying the price for it – and the life of a military officer born with the knowledge there was something missing in his life.

Sakura all but squealed when she realized the fire alchemist was in fact the hit-man, and the couple was reunited.  
Even the adult shuddered as they explained how the siblings traveled around the country, trying to save it from a mad beast who wanted to use their soul be become a god – and how the bad guy was only a broken piece of soul driven mad from it's separation from the rest of it's being – then all smiled as the god was healed, and the country saved.  
"In her next life, the little goddess was born a youkai, a beautiful shiro ookami who could live hundreds and thousands of year."  
"And the hitman?"  
"He was a kitsune of course." Ren winked "But they were also back in the world they'd spent their first life in."  
"Uh. But... Oh, they were hidden like the magical world?"  
"Exactly. There were witches and wizards, but also vampires and magical beast and fae in the magical world, and the little goddess was the Moon Hime, sole heir of one of the most famous youkai in the world." a smile "In this life, she helped not only her childhood friend who had fallen back in time to go through her destiny, but also a delinquent teenager who found his calling in the magical world, and even decades later a young girl save the the world and help create a whole new world."

"Wow." Sasuke was the one to muse "The little goddess has sure grown uh." he eyed Yagami, having just realized something rather evident in retrospective – if Yagami and Ren were the little girl and hitman from the story...  
Then who were they here to help?  
He eyed his last team-mate, and just like that, the question was answered – even if the one concerned was still painfully oblivious. Kagami, following his eyes, came to the same realization at the same time.  
Ren smiled as the main reason to share the story was understood by the Uchiha heir, but didn't stop there. After all, since his beloved wife and mate had a tendency to understate her own role in the life of the heroes she helped, it was his duty to make the people around her realize.  
Beside, everyone enjoyed hearing a good story.

And so, he talked about a friend one day calling the goddess home, and telling her about the world's end – and how without any hero to help, the goddess had risen to the challenge herself, her and two other people choosing to stay behind to save the magical world – how while they'd all gone on another planet, and made the new world their own, three people had stayed behind on a devastated planet.  
"Uh. The little girl never really stopped to be a hero too, didn't she?" Naruto mused, forgetting for a moment he was talking about Yagami  
After all, while Ren had never hidden from him that she was the one from his stories, he'd never seen either of them do anything truly godly.  
Understanding there was no stopping the story since everyone was hooked, Yagami told them about the nearly empty world the three new deities had awakened to, and the children she had raised alone – then of their fear as they realized that instead of healing, the world was changing...  
She told about three powerless gods in a world growing anew, then of a tired god retiring in the deepest, loneliest part of the world, and of a goddess too kind descent into madness – until she awoke new powers.

Sakura was the first to realize first what she was leading too as she talked about the two children of the goddess, who had inherited the same talents as their mother – but not her madness, and trained themselves before sharing this new power around them.  
"This..." she remembered the rambling of an old tome in the public library, one that most people didn't give much credit to "Those siblings, they were the Sage of the Six path and his brother, weren't they?"  
"Oh wow. Was he one of her heroes too?"  
"He was and wasn't." Ren answered with a smile, making Yagami raise an intrigue eyebrow – she knew perfectly well Hagoromo hadn't been on of her fated heroes "With her powers gone, the goddess was nearly powerless, and so while she learned what she could, and did help train the twins, this wasn't something Fate asked of her, but something she did by herself."  
"I don't think she would have been able to stand by the side and do nothing, even without powers." Kagami was the one to muse – between what he knew about the white haired-girl, and what her mate had told in his stories, it seemed quite evident to him

Most of the other agreed around him – and the Anbu commander was amused to see that the goddess was blushing.  
"Yeah, she's not someone able to stand back and do nothing if she can help without breaking the rules of the gods." Ren nodded  
Sakura raised an eyebrow at the formulation – that for a moment had left the realm of the tale and taken a far more realistic tone.  
"And what happened to the goddess after that?"  
"She helped Hagoromo and his brother, but without powers, she was hurt, and her body finally started to tire of her holy powers..." Yagami smiled "But she wasn't unhappy, she saw the world get freed from Kaguya's power, and went back to the forest where her children's children lived."  
"It was there that Hagoromo found her years later, and shamelessly seduced her." Ren added, making both Inari and Yagami share an amused laugh at the over-the-top formulation  
"While the hit-man had been consoled by an old friend's of the little girl pure heart..." Inari retorted without heat, having know from his mother about Luna and Ryoichi's own relation  
"Both of them thus honoring the promise they'd made each other not to stay alone." Yagami completed with a smile

As for Kiba, he had finally realized which story they were talking about "And that's how the Inuzuka were born out of the descendants of the Moon Hime!" suddenly, he finally realized what this implicated and turned toward Yagami "Eh!"  
Tsume rolled her eyes and gave a rather harsh slap on the top of her son's head "That pup, I don't know how he manages to be so oblivious..."  
"Oh..." realized Sakura "This is why you don't talk as if you're fully human!"  
"We're not." Tsume nodded "Not only thanks to the Moon Hime legacy, but also from the youkai that still comes to this planet from time to time."  
"Uh. Then... Are you a youkai, Yagami?"  
"Why not an illogical assumption, not quite." the chuunin contradicted

"No, of course not, why go through all the stories before if you were..." Sakura mumbled, before he eyes widened "No you're not a youkai anymore, you're the next incarnation of the little girl! Er... The goddess!"  
"So..." Naruto mused "Not that the story wasn't great and all, but why tell us all this now?"  
"Because if you're here, it means you've got a new hero, doesn't it?" the pink-haired girl realized easily  
"Unlucky guy." Naruto winced "I mean don't get me wrong, those heroes are awesome, but it also seems really hard to be one!"  
Sakura dropped her head in realization – this was the hero, and he wasn't quite sold on his job...

"Not that I wouldn't do it too if I had to!" the blond forged on obliviously "But well that's because I'm not too afraid, I've got all of our pack to help me, which the little girl didn't have at first..."  
"But all other heroes had thanks to her." Sasuke completed for the oblivious blond "Yeah, we'll help you, even if you really are a dumb hero."  
"Who are you calling dumb?" the blond protested "You're dumb! I've got awesome super-duper ancestors!"

¤.¤.¤

"We share a least two of those ancestors, and they're right beneath your nose!" Sasuke answered back, falling into their usual bickering and pointing at Yagami and Ren "So yes, you're pretty dumb!"  
"Beside, this time, while she has a hero to help she also has her own duty." Ren added in a tone that made both boys calm down  
"Kaguya may be mad, she was still a goddess. Her sons stopped her, but it was only temporary." Inari completed  
"Oh. Yeah, I'd rather be the hero than the one who has to stop the mad goddess." Naruto shuddered "No offense to you Yagami, but I think you'll be able to do it why none of us would even know where to start!" a smile "But we'll help! Like... By... tying her down, or something like that?"  
"Something like that." Sakura confirmed weakly – the mere idea was terrifying, and contrarily to Naruto she wasn't chosen by Fate, but the blond was right that this felt like something important enough that she wanted to help, rather than stay on the side-line and pray

Even if she really hoped they came up with a better plan than "Tying her down or something" when the time came...  
"The reason we shared this story is precisely because no hero is ever alone since Shadow has started her job." Ren smiled "And since the latest one has recently realized this, and professed the wish to share his gift..."  
Finally, it dawned on Naruto.  
After all, hadn't he asked to Ren if the man wasn't a hero, years ago, when he had realized the man had ****Chaos********Game****, the gift granted by the god of Chaos to heroes helped by Shadow?  
But right now, apart from him, all the people that had ****Chaos********Game**** were gods, not mortal heroes.

"Oh."  
"And finally he gets it!" Sasuke sighed, arms in the air "Don't make this face, idiot, we already told you we'd help! The Log knows you'll need it!"  
The tears that had started to all without his realization were a mix of fear and happiness – Naruto certainly hadn't started the day expecting to be told he had a destiny waiting, but the encouraging smiles around were more than enough that, like all the other heroes before him, he could only be grateful to Death, Chaos and Fate for sending him their Shadow.  
"This... This is the Uzumaki Inheritance, that made people destroy our clan." he announced as multiple invite were sent "This is also the gift granted to help heroes in their quest... Welcome to ****Chaos********Game****!"

****[Hidden Quest Complete! A Burden Shared...******  
**__the Uzumaki Inheritance always was meant to be shared...__  
****Goal complete:****you've learned about the destiny lying ahead  
****Goal complete:**** you've gathered friend to fight by your side  
****Reward******: **+8*20XP, + 1 soul-bound token]

****[Alliance System****** updated!**  
**Team 6 member added:** **Hoseki Isao **__(lv72, chuunin)__  
**Team 7 member added: ****Uzumaki Naruto** __(lv33, genin)__, **Uchiha Sasuke** __(lv34, genin)__, **Hatake Yagami** __(lv83, chuunin)__, **Uzumaki Inari** _**(lv max, genin)**_  
**Team 8 member added:** **Inuzuka Kiba** __(lv31, genin)__, **Haruno Sakura** __(lv21,genin)__, **Nara Ayame** __(lv74, chuunin)___  
_**Konoha forces added: ****Nara Ren**__(lv91, jounin)___,_**Hatake Kakashi**__(lv92, jounin)___, _**Inuzuka Tsume** __(lv85, jounin)___, _**Mongoose** __(lv111, Anbu commander)__]

****[Level up!****You are now level 84!  
__+2CP, +10SP]__

****[Level up!****Naruto is now level 38!  
__+10CP, +50SP]___  
_****[Level up!****** Sasuke** is now level 39!  
__+10CP, +50SP]___  
_****[Level up! ******Sakura** is now level 31!  
__+20CP, +100SP]___  
_****[Level up!****** Kiba** is now level 37!  
__+12CP, +60SP]___  
_****[Level up!****** Ayame** is now level 76!  
__+4CP, +20SP]___  
_****[Level up!****** Isao** is now level 73!  
__+4CP, +20SP]___  
_****[Level up! ******Kakashi** is now level 93!  
__+2CP, +10SP]___  
_****[Level up!****** Ren** is now level 92!  
__+2CP, +10SP]___  
_****[Level up!****** Tsume** is now level 86!  
__+2CP, +10SP]___  
_****[Level up!****** Mongoose** is now level 112!  
_+2___CP, +10SP]__

The blond had spent the next couple of hours explaining what was****Chaos********Game****– even if without any surprise Ayame and Kakashi had understood rather easily, their vaunted genius not exaggerated in the least.  
Tsume and her son had shared the same expression of nearly canine confusion before Yagami took pity over them and took over the not so clear explanations – Naruto had difficulty to even think about life without****Chaos********Game**** after all, since he'd lived with it for as long as he remembered, while the goddess was used to explain the tool to unsuspecting heroes...  
In the following conversation, the blond chosen one had also explained about his tenant to team 8 since the others all knew one way or another.

After a while, the agitation settled as each set to explore the tool their own way – an impromptu sparring session organizing itself in the nearest training ground within the Inuzuka compound, something that wasn't unusual, and Mongoose, Yagami and the jounin were soon settled on the engawa of the traditional looking house of Tsume, watching the on-going sparring.  
"So it's to watch over Naruto that you won't accept my offer?"  
Yagami smiled "Yes. He is able of doing things on his own, but it's easier to help him when problem arose if I'm nearby..."  
The Anbu commander nodded, and mused "But even the kids realize their team is too overpowered, it won't be easy for them to prove themselves like this."  
The girl nodded "I realize, but I can't well leave the team and somehow always get missions in the same area."

"As a chuunin you can't."  
"You really want to recruit her, eh." Tsume laughed at the pointed comment  
"of course I want her! I've seen her fight and it was art in actions! Not every shinobi understands the good and the bad of our job!"  
"Troublesome __bambina___._.." Ren sighed "As much as it annoys me to agree, the old-timer is right."  
"I'm not old!"  
"Aren't you like, as old as the hokage?" the Nara contradicted  
"I'm well preserved!"

"That we don't know." the shadow user pointed out "No one has seen your face."  
The seemingly teen tilted his head, then shrugged "We've pretty much shared about the strangest possible secrets, I guess one more can't hurt."  
As if called by the admission, the sparring genin dropped their fight and gathered around – and given that two among them had a canine's hearing, it was probable that they'd been keeping an ear on their talk.  
With a shrug, the Anbu let his genjutsu drop, revealing his true appearance beneath.  
"Well, you sure don't look as if you're nearly seventy." Ren mused in the middle of the general surprise – only Yagami didn't look surprised, he noted, making him to ask "Are you sure you're fully human?"  
"Given what you've explained about the clans origins, and the fact Tsume-san has admitted that youkai still visited from time to time... No, probably not."

Kagami had the dark hair and eyes of the Uchiha, kept beneath his shoulder and held away from his face by his hitai-ate, and the common Anbu uniform – but more importantly, he didn't look a day over thirty.  
"It wasn't really visible when I was a young, but by the time I was in my twenties, it became more and more evident by the day that I looked more like a teen than a grown man." a shrug "Hiruzen realized, of course, the old monkey has always been as crafty as a Nara, so since he'd just recently became hokage, he helped create a false mission, we faked my death, and I became Mongoose."  
"So?" Ren asked Yagami  
His fellow goddess shrugged "His soul is about three-quarter human." she confirmed "One parent probably was a hanyou." she eyed him "It's probably visible in his ****Characteristic********Tabs******,** but I'd say... a tengu ancestor?" she mused

The Uchiha nodded "Yeah, you're right, apparently I've got an ancestor from the.. House of Tsubasa?"  
"Uh, a descendant of old man Talbot." Ren laughed "I should've guessed with how annoying he was!"  
"Are you an Uchiha?" Sasuke wondered, now that the mystery of the shinobi's young look had been resolved  
"Uchiha Kagami, young heir." a pause "I'd say at your service but it would be a lie." he completed with an amused smile  
"Since you're serving Konoha first and foremost." the other easily guessed – it was something he could understand, and even respect, after all hadn't he just pledged to help Naruto himself  
"Wow, you're a lot less serious than the regular Uchiha..." Naruto mused "Well except Sasuke, but he's different, he's pack!"

"You should take his offer." said genin told Yagami, ignoring with the ease of long practice the comment half-praise half-derogatory from his loud-mouthed childhood friend "As much as you want to protect us, your talents are wasted simply watching over us." a smile "So if he says he can gives you missions in the same area as us... Why not take advantage of it?"  
Naruto nodded "Yeah," he admitted "I don't want you to leave but Sasuke's right, you're bored in missions." a shrug "Kakashi-sensei too, but he's the sensei so it's normal!" he turned toward Inari "And this one enjoys enough running around everywhere enough that we barely realize how old he is!"

"Hey! I've spent the last thirty years alone on an island! Let me enjoy my new youth!"  
"Wasn't he bawling his eyes out about not wanting Yami-chan to leave a couple hours earlier?" Kiba whispered loudly to Sakura, making the girl laugh  
"I think he's realized that she doesn't have to be in the same team to be around." Sakura smiled "After all, I doubt Yami-chan leaving team 7 would mean she would suddenly leave us all alone for the torture sessions Ren-sensei and her call training, and Kakashi-sensei needs someone to prevent him from being late by three hours everywhere!"

"So... so..."  
Yagami rolled her eyes at the Anbu that was all but vibrating in excitation "Yes, I'll join..."  
"Yatta!"  
"If you manages to get hokage-sama's approval."  
"Bah! Leave the old fart to me!"  
"He realizes he's the same age?" wondered Sakura, amused at the enthusiastic reaction more reminiscent of Kiba, Naruto or Inari than an Anbu  
Team 7 had been called to the hokage's office the next day.

"So, I've got an application for an apprenticeship for Yagami-chan."  
"Wait, isn't Kakashi-sensei already her mentor?"  
"Nope, there's no formal apprenticeship possible between parents and children, our mentor-ship fall under the rules for the clan of less than ten members to facilitate the clan training." Yagami explained  
"Precisely, which means the paperwork is in the clear." the hokage smiled "I should be rather annoyed, but Mongoose is right, you're mature enough to realize what you're signing up for despite your age... And I owe you my thanks."

"What for?"  
"Yesterday was the first time Kagami ventured out of the Anbu headquarters out of the mask for reasons other than professional." the old man sighed "He's been living in the shadows for nearly fifty years, and even when we realized thanks to Inari's own situation that we could probably create a fake identity for him he wasn't interested before..." a smile "Someone like Kagami should be able to live in the light too, he loves life too much to be cut from it so completely, and he's finally remembered it... I may have lost an old friend this week, but I have also regained one."  
Yagami smiled at that, understanding easily what the old leader meant - just like they had realized the day before, Kagami's natural character was more in tune with Naruto's or Inari, and even if he'd grown to understand the darkness of their world, without letting himself eaten away by it, it had been only by necessity at first.  
A good shadow needed light to thrive after all.

"As such... Do you, Hatake Yagami, accept apprenticeship under the rule of Uchiha Kagami, Anbu commander recently coming back from a long term mission, and one of the hidden Uchiha survivor?"  
Sasuke couldn't help but smile – because given how it was formulated, as much as Kagami had the day before insisted of the fact he was an Anbu first and foremost, he was also reclaiming his name and family.  
"I do."

****[New Rank Obtained: ******Anbu**  
_Please choose your specialty_  
****\- Assassin:****one time boost of__(+6Int, +3St, +3Lu)__to Main Characteristic,__(+2Ag,+1Perc)___/10level_  
****\- Hunter:****one time boost of __(+6Lu, +3Ag, +3Wis)__ to Main Characteristic, __(+2Perc,+1Int)___/10level_  
****\- Torture&Interrogation:**** one time boost of__(+6End, +3Wis, +3Int)__ to Main Characteristic,__(+2St,+1Wil)___/10level_  
****\- Strategy&Cryptology:****one time boost of__(+6Will, +3Perc, +3Lu)__ to Main Characteristic,_ (___+2Int,+1Wis)___/10level]_

****[Main Characteristic****** upgrade!**

Please note that you have reached one of the necessary conditions to unlock your Main Stat max from 100 per stat to 300 per stat.  
Your species will upgrade from _**Human**_ to _**Hanyou**_ once one of your Main Characteristics go over the 100 range and your level go over 100.  
You species will upgrade from _**Hanyou**_ to _**Daiyoukai**_ once one of your Main Characteristics go over the 200 range and your level go over 200.]

The hokage smile was really grateful, Naruto noted not seeing the update that were flashing in front of Yagami's eyes – proving once more that just like the old man had told him when he was a child, he really did care about all the shinobi under his command as if they were his family.

Later that day, the Uchiha were all gathered with the pack, as Kagami made his first outing under his own appearance for the first time in decades. The clan had been told that the man was back from a long-term undercover mission, something everyone knew meant he had been an Anbu, and was introduced as his own grandson.  
The celebration was far more informal than they had been back in the days, because as much as Naruto liked to tease him about his clan, Sasuke realized that the Uchiha had become far more laid-back since their near destruction.  
The clan heir and Kagami were the only in the festive ambiance to note how the white-haired girl briefly froze when Naruto jokingly told she was as good as an Uchiha now when her new mentor gave her the traditional arm-band with the Uchiha fan, marking her under the clan's protection as an apprentice to one of its member.

¤.¤.¤

After that, the months went by quickly.  
Thanks to ****Chaos********Game****, the genin training progressed by leaps and bonds – and even if they didn't have access to it, the rest of the genin were progressing fast too thanks to the regular group training cessions of the week-end.  
Neither team 7 or 8 had been surprised when about three months after their graduations, the other jounin-sensei had approached their own teacher to organize more inter-team training cessions during the week.

By the six month mark, all genin had progressed impressively, and their sensei had admitted to believing them to be ready for the chuunin exam – the only reason they weren't sent being that the current session was to be held in Kumogakure, and as much as the official position said they were at peace, they all knew enough by now about the relations between the hidden village to realize it was a very theoretical peace.  
The genin had been disappointed but rather understanding when the hokage decided no team would be sent for the examination round – but rather excited as the next exam were to be held in Sunagakure, with whom Konohagakure was in alliance.

The genin had then realized that their teams would have to be broken – after all, between the addition of Inari, and the fact Ayame and Isao were already chuunin, there were thirteen genin in the teams 6 to 10.  
The problem was resolved when Kurenai and Asuma had stated their intent not to present their genin to the examination, preferring to wait six more months for the test that would be held in Konoha itself. Surprisingly, it had been Hinata who, upon hearing this decision had taken upon herself to volunteer for the missing genin spot in team 8.

Of course, Yagami herself had been sent toward Suna too on her own mission, like she and Kagami often had since their apprenticeship had started – the Anbu commander had been overjoyed to realize that with Danzo not there to hamper his work anymore, he was a lot less busy than before, and had been able to delegate enough to leave the village for the first time in years.  
As such, Kagami was acting as the jounin commander of the Konoha delegation, which meant they, like the rest of the shinobi present for the Chuunin Exam, had arrived in Suna a few days before the test.  
"Say..." Yagami mused "Suna's one the great five, so they have one of the bijuu too, right?"

"Well, there nothing really official, but it's long been speculated that they have had at least one Ichibi jinchuuriki." Kagami answered "Do you feel something?"  
"Pain and madness." the white haired girl answered, eyes darkening with sorrow "From two minds sharing one body..."  
It wasn't too hard to find the source of the young goddess worries – simply letting your ears open in the vicinity of the villagers made it easy to realize that the people lived in constant fear of the murderous rampage of the youngest son of the current Kazekage.  
A few days after her arrival in the allied village, Yagami was slipping in the shadows, getting out of them on the top of a nearby roof.

With pale skin and hair as red as an Uzumaki, not to mention dark circles around his eyes, the boy didn't looked the murderous rampaging monster the villagers were saying he was – but then again, given what Konoha's own civilian told about Naruto, she wasn't too surprise to confirm there had been wild exaggerations in the rumor mill.  
Of course, that wasn't to say the young sand shinobi looked alright, or even remotely sane.  
She knew very well the look in his eyes, she'd seen it countless times in a lot of children of all size and ages when in the laboratories of Orochimaru - it was a look she even remembered seeing in her own eyes in the mirrors, for the first few months after waking up in Konoha for the first time.  
Gaara was a cornered beast, and he'd lash out at the world rather than let himself hurt even one more time.

"Beautiful moon tonight."  
The boy startled at the peaceful affirmation, realizing he wasn't alone, and the sand around him rose to his defense, lashing toward her – before pausing.  
"Who... Are you?" the boy wondered, stunned at the behavior from his usual defense  
"Why don't you ask your tenant?" Yagami asked, pointing at his head  
"Mother?"  
"Mother?" Yagami sighed "It's worst than I thought clearly, if this is how you think of him..." she stepped toward him, and once more the sand coming toward her paused before hurting her "I know you've recognized me Shukaku, so tell your boy to let me come in."  
The red-haired tilted his head, as if listening to a voice only he could hear, and asked rather than affirmed "Mother's saying you'll... come and talk?"

"I'm going to take the both of us to your mind, to have chat with Shukaku." she nodded "Don't you know how to do it?"  
"No? Mother's always talking to me?"  
"Always? Well, that's some shoddy sealing work..." she mumbled in surprised "You must not have a minute of peace, that child always was so chatty!"  
"Are you... Mother's mother?"  
"Am I..." she paused, considering the question "Well, none of the nine ever called me that, but I wouldn't have minded." she admitted with a smile, remembering nine tailed beasts as tall as big dogs playing around with the youkai descendants in the forests her children had lived in "But I'm afraid I would've been a terrible mother once more, dying before my children were grown up." she added with a sigh, before settling her brown against his own, and sinking her eyes into his own  
With a brief pulse of chakra, the night illuminated by a nearby full moon was replaced by darkness – then a landscape appeared around them, rather familiar to the boy as it was one of the harshest part of the desert his village was hidden in.

In front of him, a tall figure was standing, eyeing both him and the strange little white-haired girl that had so unsettled him – and the monster inside him.  
"Won't you take a more manageable size?"  
"I can't..." the imposing beast whined in an uncharacteristically sulky voice  
"In the real world sure, but this is our mind." she reminded him  
The towering silhouette blurred into a tornado of sand – and out of the blurry winds, stepped back out, now as tall as a large dog.  
"Is it really you... Tsuki-hime?"  
"What do you think?" she asked gently, stunning the red-haired boy – people weren't suppose to talk like that to monsters  
"You died." the beast answered after a long hesitation  
"I did." the white haired girl confirmed, sitting in the sand and gesturing for the monster to come closer

The sandy tanuki seemed uncharacteristically hesitant – and it was the first time his words weren't all but mad ramblings about killing everyone, Gaara realized, wondering what the one he called mother would do.  
Even if he'd know for years now that the being wasn't his mother, it was a voluntary choice to keep calling it that – because as mad as the monster inside him was, he was the only one who'd ever been on his side, protecting him from the wretchedness that were human beings and sharing his disgust for them.  
So seeing the being act so strangely – made him really curious about the one who would elicit such a reaction, and quite jealous too. If even monsters could be loved, then why wasn't he?  
"And father died too." the tanuki added, breaking down and throwing himself at the girl, both paws attacking her with clawed fist that left bleeding mark that were fading nearly immediately, before melting into her embrace "He left us behind, and humans forgot all about his teachings and grew malicious and evil!"

"What did I always told you about your father's beliefs?"  
"That they were just that, beliefs..." the other answered, hesitation less and less present as memories were flowing back "That no mortal was perfect, and conflicts would always happen. That they feared what they didn't understand nor could control..." his tone grew bitter "And it was all true, except they did manage to control us, didn't they? Otherwise I wouldn't be stuck in the boy, and he wouldn't be hunted for my powers."  
"But that doesn't mean that they're all like that, does it?"

"I liked Bunpuku." the sand spirit answered after thinking for a while "He wasn't mean and he let me drink sake."  
"You always had a liking for sake." the girl remembered fondly "Especially on full moons, when we would have the night sparring cessions."  
"And I would always win!" he bragged loudly "Well... Sometimes..." he amended, before getting once more boastful "But at least I always won against Kurama-nii-san on these nights!"  
"Yeah, night-time fighting never was his forte." the other agreed easily "Somehow he never saw your traps in the dark..."

"I miss it..." the tanuki whispered "After father died, I was alone in the temple for a long time... Then I was jailed, as if I'd done something bad, when I hadn't... I grew really angry..."  
"I'm sorry I wasn't there..." the white haired girl whispered "When I realized what happened to you..." a sigh as she didn't need to finish her sentence, the tanuki able to sense her feelings, instead telling him "Did you know Inari-chan is still around?"  
"What? He didn't die? He... He stayed?"  
"He did." she confirmed to the stunned bijuu  
"Then... We left him alone too, didn't we?" the sandy being realized with guilt in his eyes  
"He doesn't blame you, you were young."  
"he was younger! He was your son, the youngest son of the Sage of the Six Path, and we left him behind!"  
"He became the first Uzumaki." she reassured him

"I knew those read-hair reminded me of someone!" then, in perhaps the calmer tone Gaara had ever heard from him "But why did he stay? He wanted to leave?"  
"Because of the reason why you're jailed inside Gaara."  
"You mean... There's a reason?"  
"It's not impossible the humans would have feared you and try to jail you eventually even without interference..." Yagami tempered "But yes, it was provoked by someone. Something. A consciousness who wants to regain its powers and body..."  
This time, Gaara realized, there was no mistaking it – it was pure unadulterated fear.  
"She's going to try and take us back then? And… And we'll die if she manages it, won't we?"

The red-haired wondered who "she" could be, that she terrified so much the monster that had made his village fear him so much since his birth.  
He wondered too, how the girl could seem so understanding of the humans failings – and clearly he didn't count himself, nor her among the number – yet didn't seem to harbor the same grudge as him against them.  
"This isn't something I'll let happen, Shukaku." the white-haired girl promised, calming the other immediately  
"Right... You're here... That means you were sent here to take care of her, right? And that Fate has chosen someone to help the world?"  
A smile, and a nod.

The tanuki nodded too, satisfied, and sat on his back feet, finally realizing his jinchuuriki was here too.  
"I haven't been easy on you, eh pup?" he mused, stunning the red-haired – of all the things he expected to hear from the sand spirit, this was clearly the last  
Not really knowing what to answer, Gaara settled to ask Yagami "Who are you?"  
"it this life, I'm Hatake Yagami, chuunin of Konoha." a smile "But I guess this isn't what you're asking..."  
Like she'd told Shukaku earlier, they weren't in the real world right now, and as such they could do about anything their mind could.

As such, her body changed, going from the small human silhouette of Yagami to a tall, more familiar form, nine white tails floating lazily behind her "In a previous life I was Taishou Tsukiko, ookami and heiress of the House of Moon..." a smile "I lived for nearly nineteen century, and by the end of my life, I witnessed the rise of a mad goddess, and her son's fight to defeat her. That son became the one known as the Sage of the Six Path by all shinobi nowadays..." she absentmindedly nuzzled the tanuki that had immediately burrowed in her side, playing with the fluffy appendage like a young child "And he was also the father of Shukaku and his other eight siblings, taking and cutting the powers of the mad goddess to instead give them life."

Oh – so this was the she meant then, Gaara realized, a mad goddess whose return would mean death for the nine bijuu. No wonder the tanuki had been afraid.  
"And why are you here?"  
"I didn't come for you." she answered candidly "While I've already decided to free all bijuu eventually, I'm still young in this life, I need time to develop my powers once more and find a way from separating the bijuu from their jinchuuriki without killing the humans..." she explained with a shrug, mind going over the hours of fuuinjutsu she'd already poured in her project "But even if I didn't expect to find you two, I'm happy about it!" a smile "After all, I can't free you right now I can still help you both."  
"You can? How so?"  
"Well for a start I could change the shoddy seal-work done on you to so you don't have to always listen to Shukaku's ramblings..."  
"Hey!"

"And reinforce it enough that both you and him don't have to always focus on not completely destroying the seal and killing you."  
"You've... been keeping me alive by not breaking free?" Gaara realized, eyeing the bijuu in stunned wonder  
"Well it's not like you asked to have me shoved in you, did you!" the tanuki mumbled in what was clearly an embarrassed tone "You're not too bad, for a human boy."  
"But... When I lost control years ago..."  
"I held on the seal." the tanuki shrugged "Don't get me wrong, even if I had let you died, I would have been recaptured and forced back into another brat, and he may have been worse!"  
For the first time in years, Gaara smiled – and maybe, he was crying too, if the distant and panicked rambling of Shukaku were to be believe, but it was alright.  
After all, he had the proof now, that his uncle had lied.  
He wasn't unlovable – and even if it was a monster who liked him, given what he knew of monsters and humans, it was alright as they weren't that different in the end...

¤.¤.¤

The next few days, Gaara spent observing the people around him, refraining from much more violence than before and silently conversing with Shukaku – and every night, he met up with Yagami on the roofs, and learned not only about the girl, or the Sage of Six Path, but also about her current life, about Konoha and the genin she'd escorted to Suna.

Needless to say, the Ichibi jinchuuriki had been intrigued when he realized that there was another boy like him in town – and he'd gone out of his way to spy on Naruto. Of course, it was hard not to be jealous – because the blond boy was so much more cheerful and happy looking than him, with lots of friends around.  
But even if he hadn't Yagami to tell him about the civilians attitude toward him in his own village, he could also read the pang of sadness and loneliness from time to time in the other's eyes – the way he would suddenly cling to one or another friend or team-mate, hiding behind his rumbustious character the bout of fear about being left alone clear proof that as lucky as Naruto had been compared to him, he still hadn't gotten out completely unharmed of his own role as a jinchuuriki.

Yagami was also taking the time to teach him more about meditation, as it was the way to access his mindscape on his own to be able to see Shukaku rather than only hear him. It wasn't the only thing she taught him, as she was rather free with her advice.  
"Well, for one thing, we're from allied villages." she'd pointed out when he'd asked her about it "And even if it wasn't the case, you're one of the people I've sworn to help."  
"You don't have to." he pointed out logically "You could have just freed the bijuu and let us die."  
"I could." she agreed "But in a way, you're just as unfortunate as them, and right now you're about the only humans that can understand them." a smile "It would be to bad to let their brothers in misfortune die to free them, and I doubt they'd have liked it once they realized the price of their freedom."  
Shukaku hadn't contradicted.

Gaara's sister, Temari, had been rather surprised when he'd stated his intent to watch over the exam.  
"I though you weren't interested?" she asked, before hastily adding "Not that you can't change your mind, of course!"  
The red-head realized that this was rather usual of his sister – she was the only person that ever questioned the reason behind his actions, rather than only blindly obey and get out of his way to live a day more...  
"I've met one of their shinobi in town."  
"And you want to watch him?"  
"She's not participating." he contradicted "But she told me the genin were all the same age as me." he added  
"Really?" the blond girl eyes widened "But isn't Konoha's academy regular graduating age twelve?"

"It is." he confirmed "Yet they had nine students take and pass the graduation test one year earlier."  
"And they're already ready for the Chuunin Exam?" Temari mused, clearly impressed "I guess the rumors that Konoha coddles their genin must be exaggerated."  
"Apparently they take great pride in their team-work." his eyes roamed around the room  
On top of the three Konoha teams, there were six from Suna itself, one from Kusagakure, and rather surprisingly given the tense relation between them, two teams from Ishigakure and another three from Iwagakure.  
"Not a bad turn out." Temari mused "There's even two great villages, that's rather unexpected."  
"Knowing Iwa's usual underhanded ways they're here to assess our forces." the red-head mused "That means the fact our funds have been diminished by the Daimyo is now known to the other villages."

"Damn Konoha thieves."  
"We can't really blame them from taking a job when offered." Gaara shrugged "If the situation was reversed we'd be doing the same." his eyes hardened "It's the Daimyo the problem."  
"Yeah, but it's not like we can just get rid of him." Temari shrugged "He's well defended against us."  
Gaara nodded – even he knew about the Daimyo's special forces, samurai trained specially to counter shinobi assassins. While he didn't doubt he could manage to kill them and the Daimyo, it still wouldn't be good for Suna's relation with the next in line, that much he realized.  
As he fell silent, eyeing the genin going through the exam's first round, he didn't see Temari's realization, as she finally remembered whom she'd been talking with – and the small ray of hope in her eyes.

¤.¤.¤

The first test of the exam was about information gathering, and after being made to wait in the same room together for ten minutes past the hour of beginning, all teams were separated, each with one chuunin proctor, and given a quiz about the other teams present.  
The proctor could also try to mislead them as much as possible.  
One of the Iwa team was dropped here and there, as well as the two from Ishigakure, which wasn't too surprising as the proctors had been particularly hard on them.  
The Suna team all passed that part easily, good sense of observation an essential quality to have for someone living in the middle of the desert.

They were more surprised to see how easily the three Konoha teams manages the test too.  
"That pink-haired girl's memory is unbelievable..." a shinobi mused in the observation room  
Ren smiled from his position near Kakashi "When I realized she had nearly perfect recollection, you can bet your ass I made her work it to perfection!" he commented  
It was after all the game of the jounin-sensei to boast about their pupils without revealing too much about their abilities.  
"Sasuke was rather good too," Kakashi mused "his memory has been making leaps and bond recently, he must be close to activating his bloodline..."  
"Already at a chuunin level without a sharingan?" a jounin from Iwa realized "Eh, that tree-huger mustn't be all talk for once!"  
As for the last team – they had Shikamaru with them.  
"A Nara? Yeah, this test was a joke for him. You Konoha and your clan shinobi!"  
"That's because we know how to keep them!" the Nara jounin answered with a wink to the Kusagakure shinobi "And let me tell you making a law called Breeding Program isn't the way to go about it!"  
The other jounin present all laughed, making the man scowl – but Ren was right, even if the clan were all abundantly encouraged to multiply, no one had been stupid enough in any other Hidden Village to try and pass such a crude law, and it had made their last clan with an important bloodline flee Kusagakure far and fast.

The three Konoha team shared a reassuring smile as they met with each other on the outskirt of the training ground where their next test was to be held.  
The fact that they had to sign liability waivers before hearing the instructions for this test was setting the tone – but if there was one thing they were confident in, it was their survival skills.  
After all, before letting them enter the Chuunin Exam, all the genin had been dropped in another of the wild natural reserve around Konoha to survive – this time without any chuunin, and for a whole month.

The trial had been eye opening, and by the end of it, even if they weren't all best friends, even Neji, the coldest among them, had started to thaw a bit and was behaving far less bitingly toward his cousin.  
It had also been a rude awakening for Ino, who'd realized she was getting left behind by Sakura, and had as such protested a lot less when Sarutobi Asuma, her jounin-sensei, had stated his intent not to nominate them.  
On the contrary, Hinata, who'd already changed quite a bit thanks to the influence of Tenten's strong and open persona had flourished, and the nearly debilitating shyness she suffered from had nearly disappeared, only making a come-back when Naruto or Neji where concerned.

¤.¤.¤

"This is the Demon Desert. Inside, we've hidden twenty-one mission scrolls like this one." the proctor explained, procuring a standard scroll with dark red borders from his flak-jacket pockets "Once inside, you'll have five days to find three scrolls and get to the tower in the center of the area with you whole team." he assessed  
The explanation caused some agitation as clearly not everyone felt quite ready to spend so long in one of the most dangerous training-ground of the village.  
"Be warned! If you try to fake the scroll, you'll be disqualified! If you don't have enough scrolls, you'll be disqualified! If you don't arrive within the time-line, you'll be disqualified! And if you don't arrive with all your team-mates alive, you'll be disqualified!"  
The three Konoha teams converged together as they entered the large gate leading to the Demon Desert.

"That's quite a risky choice." Temari mused "With nine people, they'll be a beacon for other teams, and will have to find more scrolls."  
"Ah but they're used to work together." a young voice pointed out "Hi,Gaara-kun."  
"Hime-chan."  
"Must you call me like that?" the white haired wondered with a pout – once the old nickname had escaped Shukaku's lips, the red-head had immediately adopted it  
The jinchuuriki smiled faintly in answer, making quite a few Suna jounin have a heat attack, while Ren interjected "New friend, __bambina__?"  
"Ren! This is Sabaku no Gaara, he's a friend I made since we've arrived!" she introduced with a bright smile  
"Why is it that the more dangerous the person you find, the larger your smile is?" the Nara wondered with a long-suffering sigh  
"Ah but my brightest smiles are for you!" she winked  
"Of course." the other nodded smugly  
"Can you try not to seduce my eight year old daughter in from of me, Ren?" Kakashi wondered with a grimace more amused than reproving  
"You know my intentions are pure!"

"Of course." the other easily agreed in a tone that was in total contradiction with the affirmation "So, musume, how did you met your new friend?"  
"He's got insomnia and I could see him from my room so we got speaking." she explained with a smile that made the two that knew her guess there was probably more to the story – but they hadn't seen her much in the past few days as they'd been busy with the Exam organization while she was with Kagami reaffirming the alliance with the village by going to boring meetings with the Kazekage and his Elder council  
"Wait..." a voice in the assembly protested "Someone reproduced with the porn reading jounin?"  
"Of course not." Yagami primly contradicted "I was born in a flower."  
Kakashi nodded his complete approval at the affirmation, making the jounin sweat-drop – but like most skilled jounin, and those from Konoha especially, the gray-haired masked shinobi was reputed for his strange behaviors, so no one was really surprised about the extravagant affirmation.  
Meanwhile, Yagami had turned her attention toward the still stunned blond ten nearby "So are you Gaara's sister?"  
"Yes?" she asked more than answered  
"He told me he had two siblings. All he could tell me is that you were blond, and skilled in fan-fighting." he eyes went to the large weapon in the girl's back "Even if I hadn't imagined something that big! Oh, and he told me his brother did make-up and played with dolls..."

At that Temari burst out laughing, most of the Suna jounin struggling to keep their own calm "Dolls... whahaha! He's a puppet master..." she corrected, drying a tear from the corner of his eyes "But I'll be sure to use the word doll instead, it'll drive him mad! Oh, and he says those are war paint but... yeah, totally make-up." she nodded, before asking "But aren't you part of the exam?"  
"Well I can't, those are for genin." Yagami pointed out "I'm a chuunin."  
The blond's eyes widened as she finally noted what she hadn't earlier, too surprised by the easy way the girl talked to her normally murderous brother – the girl indeed wore a flak-jacket. Her eyes gained a touch of respect at that – after all, the small girl had to be skilled to have already earned a promotion.  
The jounin were less tense now that the second part of the exam had started, as they knew it would be at least a few hours before anything interesting happened, as such people were breaking out in smaller groups to talk, eat something and wait.  
Naturally, Temari found herself hanging with the Konoha jounin as she was unwilling to let Gaara out of her sight with people not from the village for basic safety reasons – and because she was fascinated to see him interact in a stilted but civil way with people.

"The more you treated him like a monster, the more he became one." Yagami said softly as the older sister was eyeing her brother in wonder as he was talking with Ren – about the faster way of killing with sand versus shadow, sure, but it was a rather normal topic for shinobi  
The blond eye's widened "You know?"  
Yagami smiled, and seeing as no one else in the room was giving them any attention but the people of their own group, she lifted up the hem of the green yukata she wore over a pair of dark brown skin-thigh pants, revealing the multiple heavy scars that littered her body.  
"I wasn't born from a flower." she said, eyes far away "I was born in a lab. Otou learned about me only when Konoha rescued me and the others."  
Temari's face paled with shock, and suddenly she could see why her brother would sympathize with the girl – after all, who better to understand a boy treated as a monster than a girl that had been treated as less than human too?

The second exam started to get interesting when the first skirmish between team started to occur in the middle of the night - one of the remaining Iwa team clashed against a Suna team quite violently on the first site with scrolls both had found at the same time – but neither team had expected the traps around the scrolls.  
The Iwa team had won the scrolls before getting stuck in one of the numerous traps, and the Suna team all but lost a member, as the tanned poison user had taken a bad hit from the kenjutsu user from Iwa and was bleeding heavily. His team-mates immediately started to give him first aid treatment, but the Exam was over for them.  
By the next morning, another Suna team had completed the test, having lucked out and not encountered anyone else.  
With three teams working together, Konoha was both surprisingly efficient making the jounin revise their earlier judgment, and also attracting more attention.  
They'd encountered the Kusa team early the second day, and despite the genin trying to flee, had quickly stopped their escape and stolen the two scrolls they'd managed to gather.  
The Kusa genin had managed to escape in fighting order, but their role in the exam was cut short a few hours later when they met a the last Iwa team that thought they still had their scrolls and left them stuck in a cavern.

Konoha had a lucky strike on the third day, when they encountered a Suna team that had been a bit too greedy by staying to cull a bit the competition once they'd gathered all their scrolls. That team lost its four scrolls, and was eliminated as one had taken a bad blow from Hinata and was left unable to mold chakra.  
They then had a challenging fight against Iwa – but finally, the other genin cut their losses and managed to escape with their scrolls and made for the tower, not willing to test their chance anymore.  
Finally, they found their two last scroll at the end of the same day, and made a bee-line for the tower.  
By the end of the second exam, on top of the three Konoha teams, there was also two from Suna and one from Iwa, taking the number of remaining genin to eighteen.

¤.¤.¤

The genin were escorted back to town, where the Kazekage himself announced that the last part of the exam would be a tournament, held in a month, with all Daimyo and Kage invited.  
"Don't make the mistake of believing that this is simply a promotion exam!" the stern man warned, eyeing particularly his own genin "The Chuunin Exam are a replacement for war, and a chance for each village to prove the worth of its soldiers!"  
"Well," the Iwa jounin with a team still in the Exam taunted "We'll see what you tree-hugger are worth now that they'll have to fight for themselves!"  
No one rose to the bait, simply smiling confidently – even if it was rather doubtful all earned a promotion this turn over, they knew all the genin would at least make a good show of their abilities in the tournament.

As for Yagami, she was enthusiastically bouncing toward the three teams of genin, loudly proclaiming "I've got some training scheduled for you all!"  
Temari and Gaara, that weren't too far, were angled just right to see all nine Konoha shinobi pale and found themselves sharing an intrigued glance.  
They didn't see any of the Konoha shinobi in the next following days – but Temari soon realized that Gaara still saw Yagami every night, and was among the few to note that the jinchuuriki's attitude was slowly changing.  
Despite knowing it would be the logical thing to do as a kunoichi of the sand, she refrained from informing their father about the new friendship, finding the effects far too positive to risk for their progenitor to ruin the situation, which wouldn't be the first time – a good Kazekage and powerful shinobi he maybe, the man was anything but a good father after all, especially when it came to his youngest, whom in her opinion he'd never seen as anything but a potential asset for the village.

Soon, Temari found herself meeting with the Konoha shinobi during the day as they went about their life – and somehow invited to their weekend gathering, which was something halfway between a group training-session and simply friends and family hanging together. Of course, Gaara was there too, and even if he'd never be as loud and brash as Naruto, Inari or Kiba, he was still talking with people – strangely getting along with Naruto despite their very different temper, but also, and less surprisingly with Shikamaru and Hinata.  
It was very different from the way shinobi interacted in Suna, and while it made quite clear why Konoha nin were so often mocked as tree-hugger for their far too friendly ways, she also found herself rather envious of the easy camaraderie they shared, so different from the very individualistic ways of Suna.  
The month before the last part of the Chuunin Exam flew by, and the young sand kunoichi realized, as the day arrived and she settled in the bench near her two brothers that she was honestly cheering for the Konoha genin just as much as the Suna ones...

* * *

**[******Yagami****/ Age 7 / Level 89  
****Physical Main Stat 124(184):****Strength 36(63) / Agility 67(90) / Endurance 21 (31)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 149(194): ****Intelligence 62(86) / Will 34(46) / Wisdom 53(62)  
****Social Main Stat 101(153): ****Presence 17(25) / Perception 52(75) / Luck 32(53)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 332(492) / HP regen/min 3,35(5,47) / Chakra Points 613 / CP regen/min 6,75  
Damage 45,3(78,2) / Defense 25,5(44,4) / Reaction Speed 53,2(72,3)  
Chakra control 42,2(56) / Chakra Density 39,7(55,5) / Mind Speed 59,3(78,8)  
Critic Chance 21,9(42) / Critic Damage Multiplier 14,5(37,7), Loot Bonus 33(51,8)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 11 / Level 51  
****Physical Main Stat 83(108): ****Strength 42(52) / Agility 29(37) / Endurance 12 (19)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 74(95): ****Intelligence 24(24) / Will 29(44) / Wisdom 21(27)  
****Social Main Stat 46(74): ****Presence 15(16) / Perception 16(21) / Luck 15(37)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 214(292) / HP regen/min 2,16(2,96) / Chakra Point 507 / CP regen/min 5,07  
Damage 38,1(48,1) / Defense 21(28,9) / Reaction Speed 23,9(31,6)  
Chakra control 19,6(23,8) / Chakra Density 26,6(38,9) / Mind Speed 23,1(24,9)  
Critic Chance 3,14(5) / Critic Damage Multiplier 5,72(17,6), Loot Bonus 15,2(29,6)]

**[******Sasuke****/ Age 11 / Level 51  
****Physical Main Stat 92(114): ****Strength 31(37) / Agility 46(62) / Endurance 15(15)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 73(91):****Intelligence 34(46) / Will 22(25) / Wisdom 17(20)  
****Social Main Stat 49(63):****Presence 16(19) / Perception 21(33) / Luck 12(12)]

**[******Kiba****/ Age 11 / Level 49  
****Physical Main Stat 81(111):****Strength 37(55) / Agility 27(36) / Endurance 17(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 68(74):****Intelligence 21(21) / Will 25(31) / Wisdom 22(22)  
****Social Main Stat 52(61):****Presence 12(12) / Perception 26(35) / Luck 14(14)]

**[******Sakura****/ Age 11 / Level 46  
****Physical Main Stat 79(82):****Strength 24(27) / Agility 41(41) / Endurance 14(14)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 78(102): ****Intelligence 42(56) / Will 21(27) / Wisdom 19(29)  
****Social Main Stat 37(40):****Presence 11(11) / Perception 18(21) / Luck 12(12)]

**Exam Team Breakout:**

****Team7:**** Sensei Hatake Kakashi(lv96), Naruto, Sasuke, Inari(lv max)  
****Team8******:** Sensei Nara Ren(lv95), Sakura, Kiba, Hinata(lv44)  
****Team9******:** Sensei Might Guy(lv98), Neji(lv47), Lee(lv46), Shikamaru(lv45)  
****Ambassadory**** ****Team******:** Uchiha Kagami(lv115), Yagami

**Regular Team breakout:**

****Team**** ****6:**** sensei Sarutobi Asuma, Isao(chuunin) Ino and Shino  
****Team**** ****7:**** sensei Hatake Kakashi, Inari, Naruto and Sasuke  
****Team**** ****8:**** sensei Nara Ren, Ayame(chuunin) Kiba and Sakura  
****Team**** ****9:**** sensei Might Guy, Neji, Lee and Shikamaru  
****Team**** ****10******:** sensei Yuuhi Kurenai,Tenten, Chouji and Hinata  
****Team**** ****Uchiha******/******Anbu**** ****Team**** ****Mongoose******:** Uchiha Kagami, Hatake Yagami(chuunin/Anbu:Alpha)


	5. IV Waves in Sand

****IV. Waves in Sand****

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome..."  
Naruto was the first to fight – they had researched all the other genin in the tournament and so he knew the basis about the stout Suna genin in front of him – Arata was a taijutsu specialist, but he also apparently was rather good at traps, something he'd heard the other brag about with his team-mates. It was only his bad luck that the brunette boy was against Uzumaki Naruto, self-proclaimed king of pranks!

**"******Fight!"******  
**Naruto jumped back, throwing a smoke pellet before making a clone while the other couldn't see and making it shift to a beetle with a _**henge**__._  
He dodged the kunai thrown from the smoke easily, answering by his own one – with an explosive tag on it. The other was lucky enough to realize, and dodged out of the cloud a second before the tag detonated, leaving a rather large area of destruction behind.  
Arata whistled when seeing this, impressed by the size of the explosion, but was already going on the offensive, with like expected a strong taijutsu style – but while Naruto got hit more often than usual against the unknown style, he was adapting himself with each hit, and used enough to take hits that he could afford it.

In the mean time, his clone had circled the Suna genin and dropped his _**henge**__,_ sending a wind blade toward the other's back. Clearly – there was a reason why Arata was in these Exams, as he felt the attack a moment before it hit, partially avoiding it.  
Still, the wound was enough to weaken him, and while he did successfully use some steel wire to trip Naruto, the blond didn't let the fall stop him, instead sending another wind technique toward the other genin as he was leveled to his knees.  
This time, with one leg all but useless, Arata gave up, and the proctor called Naruto's victory, before making them evacuate the arena, the blond Konoha nin helping his adversary to the medic-nin waiting by the side.

¤.¤.¤

Next was Sakura's match against another Suna shinobi – Chie was a petite dark red-haired girl that looked very self assured.  
Despite making a good showing, the difference in skill was soon clear, the specialist in bukijutsu able to enhance her weapons with wind chakra. While the pink-haired genin had made tremendous progress in her physical abilities and as such was able to evade quite a few of the incoming attack, she soon realized the other was far too fast for her to be able to counteract effectively.  
After making one attempt, which earned her a nasty gash on the shoulder, she forfeited.

Surprisingly for the rather brash girl, she shook her hand "When I saw you I thought you were one of those useless fan-girls, but you do have some skill." Chie commended "Your _**genjutsu**_ nearly got me, and if I wasn't that used to them because of my team-mate I wouldn't have broken it in time." a smile "It was the bad luck of the draw!"  
"I was a fan-girl." Sakura admitted as they left the arena, hand glowing green as she started to heal her wounds "I've learned better... But clearly, I've still got some work ahead!"  
"Well clearly, you've woken up well!" the other winked "I've tried my hands at medical-jutsu, but I just can't get the hang of it!" she admitted with a small pout

¤.¤.¤

The next match was the first with an Iwa genin.  
Suzume, the lone girl of the team, was a kenjutsu specialist who also boasted a very good Earth defense jutsu – Neji had lucked out on this match, as he soon realized.  
The dark-haired girl elegantly danced between the attacks of the rather stiff Hyuuga taijutsu style, and while the boy himself could protect himself thanks to his mastery of the _**Hakkeshou**__**Kaiten**_, a defensive technique supposedly only taught to the clan heir, it was all he could do – Neji maybe rather stiff and cold he was also very intelligent, and had learned himself the secret move that was serving him so well after observing his uncle, Hinata's father using it.  
Still – as impressive the technique was, especially given how young he was, it still used both chakra and physical stamina, and so he soon realized he couldn't hold it indefinitely. Suzume, on the other side was practicing a style base on speed rather than strength and was growing tired fast.

Both realizing the situation couldn't continue, the Iwa genin jumped back, and with a few sharp hand-style and a hand slapped down, the arena's ground started to crumble. Neji jumped, and in the air couldn't dodge the next attack. Blade deep in his shoulder, Neji moved forward instead of backward.  
"You're done for." the girl smiled, kunai near his throat  
"Only if you can cut faster than I can strike." the pale-eyed boy retorted, making the girl eyes widen as she realized that the other's hand was hovering a few millimeters away from her heart.  
"Well, seems like we've reached a stalemate." the proctor commented "It's a tie!"  
Both stepped away from each other, the girl sighting despondently.

"At least you made a good showing." Neji pointed out "All I've done is prove that relying only on one skill doesn't work."  
"What do you mean?"  
He sighed "I was told by all the jounin, and even the lone chuunin that came with us that relying only on my clan fighting style wouldn't work, but I didn't listen to them." he shrugged, than winced as he remembered his shoulder was punctured "Clearly, they were right."  
"Still, you are really dangerous, against someone else you would have won easily."  
"Probably." he admitted – he knew his skills well enough "But I can't bet on never facing any kenjutsu users." a sigh "Nor any long-range fighter smart enough to avoid letting me close the distance down."  
"Right." the other sighed "You know what, when you say it like that, I may have some training left too before I can fight against any opponent..."

¤.¤.¤

The next match was again a Konoha Suna one.  
Facing Sasuke was Satoru, another doton jutsu user – but also, a poison specialist. Both boy eyed each other calmly before starting the fight.  
Both were long-ranged fighter, and the first minutes were spent avoiding each other's jutsu and shuriken and kunai, but also, for Sasuke, jumping out of the way of the poison pellets and poisoned senbon the other used.  
Their skills were about even, but the poison was a clear drawback for Sasuke, who had to find a way to break the stalemate quickly. His eyes roamed over the arena, that between the clouds of poison not yet swept away by the wind and the ground now more uneven than ever thanks to the multiple **doton** **jutsu** that had been used since the beginning of the tournament, was becoming dangerous to navigate.

He never realized the moment his eyes turned red, now seeing precisely the path between clouds and unsteady ground to close the distance between the other and him, the way he would avoid his first attack – and how to land a _**raiton**_ **jutsu** on him the next moment.  
It was only as Satoru dropped unconscious, and the proctor called his victory that he finally heard Naruto's loud cheering "Youhou! Congrats on unlocking your **kekkai** **genkai**, idiot!"  
"You're the idiot." he called back automatically, eyes going down to catch his blurry reflection in the depolished kunai – and realizing that indeed his eyes weren't their usual black.  
He hurried back toward the waiting area, asking urgently "Kakashi-sensei! How do I deactivate it?" making Naruto laugh

"Should I remind you about the first time you called your _**Adamantine**_ _**Chains**__?"_ Yagami called sweetly  
"Uh... No need! You tell him, Kakashi-sensei!"  
"You do realize I can't deactivate mine, right?" the jounin wondered, even deigning to raise his eye from his usual orange book to point at Kagami "And that you've got a perfectly good Uchiha member just here?"  
"He would tell me something stupid just to make me ridicule myself." Sasuke sighed  
The innocent look the Anbu commander answered with convinced no one.  
"Well, since it's a _**doujutsu**__,_ why don't you try to reduce the chakra flow to your eyes?" Yagami suggested  
Sasuke raised an eyebrow at the surprisingly logical suggestion, and did just so – making his eyes turned back to black.  
"Thanks, Yami-chan."

¤.¤.¤

"My turn!" Kiba interrupted loudly, jumping down toward the arena ground, followed sedately by a sandy blond Suna nin  
In the benches, Kankuro turned up his nose as the genin deployed his two puppets.  
"Bah. Shoddy work!"  
"Oh?" Temari wondered "He seems rather skilled?"  
Indeed, Takashi, the sand genin, had sent one puppet to the front, and was effectively blocking Kiba's path, while the second puppet was staying back and peppering him with poisoned darts  
"He's sacrificed control for number." her brother explained "There's a reason I only use one puppet at a time."

"What do you mean?"  
"You have to be able to control as many different chakra strings as possible to be a good puppet user." he eyed the fight  
Kiba had gone on all four, and with a cry of_**"Juujin bunshin!"**_Akamaru was now looking just like him, both of them using the _**Tsuuga**_ in a combination attack called _**Gatsuuga**_.  
First puppet down, they pushed their assault, and seeing his second puppet start to crumble, the Suna genin called forfeit, not even trying to fight by himself.  
"Takashi is able to use less chakra strands than me, but he still insist on dividing them in two different puppets." Kankuro explained "As such, his control is rather limited on each puppet and his attention split between them." a shrug "Honestly, I would've been surprised if he won, especially considering the opponent wasn't alone either."  
Temari smiled her thanks for the explanation, Gaara nodding along – if Kankuro still was far more wary of their youngest sibling than her, talking about his passion had made him forget for a while with whom he was talking, something the red-haired had clearly noticed given his very faint smile.

¤.¤.¤

With a enthusiastic cry of "Yosh! I'm going to make you proud, Guy-sensei!" a green clad genin was jumping on the arena ground  
"What is this eyesore?" Kankuro wondered, stunned as many at the improbable outfit  
"A gift from his sensei, apparently." Gaara answered, still bemused too by the green atrocity "But as strange as he looks, Lee is very strong."  
"Uh? How do you know this?" the puppet master wondered, too stunned by Lee's improbable outfit to remember to be afraid of his brother  
"We've trained with them a few times." Temari answered with an eye-roll "Which you would know if you'd stepped out of your puppetry workshop a bit more often these last few weeks!"  
"I was doing a very sensitive new upgrade on Karasu!" the other protested

Temari eyed the fight beginning.  
Once more, a taijutsu specialist was facing a kenjutsu user – and even worse for Lee, Kamiko was also both a wind and earth user. If she hadn't been there when the lots had been drawn, she'd wonder if her father hadn't voluntarily rigged the tournament to favor his village – something that wouldn't have been that surprising, truth be told.  
The fight started, fast paced, and Lee was soon on the defensive against the kenjutsu user, before finally, glancing toward his sensei, who simply gave him an encouraging thumb up. Jumping back, he dropped his weights, leaving a dent in the battered arena ground, making Kankuro all but jump on his bench "What the..."

The next moment, the Konoha genin's speed seemed to multiply, and Kamiko's next attack was parried with a characteristic metallic sound.  
"I strive to use only taijutsu," the black-haired boy told the surprised light brown-haired girl "But a good shinobi knows he can't close any option to fight his way to victory!"  
The girl answered by a smile of her own, chakra flaring around her sword – wind chakra.  
"Since when can Lee do staff fighting?" Neji mused in the contestants resting area  
"Months." Shikamaru answered with a yawn "You'd known if you came to our week-end training sessions."  
"He always sticks to taijutsu during the week!" the Hyuuga protested  
"Because you do too. He was persuaded you were hiding other abilities for a real fight, since he thinks you are eternal rivals and so on..." the Nara answered with a shrug "You maybe a genius, if you don't wake up soon, you'll be left in the dust by the one you so enjoy to call dead-last and failure."

With that, the lazy boy turned his attention back to the fight. While initially surprised, Kamiko hadn't let herself get too rattled by the sudden change in pace of their fight, and was effectively using the ground around her to raise multiple _**doton**_ walls in order to protect her from the boy when she couldn't dodge his hit, and hiding multiple _**fuuton**_** jutsu** in the heavy dust clouds their fight had provoked.  
Finally, the battle came to an end when Lee knocked out Kamiko with a powerful staff blow at the same moment as she unleashed a _**doton**_ bullet that caught him right in the sternum and knocked him out too.  
"Well," the proctor ruled after checking on bot genin "It's a double-knock-out, that's a Tie!"

¤.¤.¤

Inari waltzed on the arena as soon as the two previous genin were carried out, a tall genin joining him a moment later.  
"I can't believe I have to fight a shrimp." the brown-haired Suna nin complained "How I am even supposed to show-off against a brat?"  
"The simple fact you're asking is more than enough proof that you aren't fit to be chuunin." Inari answered, disdain dripping in his words  
"Uh." Temari mused "I didn't think Inari could be annoyed at anyone, that kid is always so happy-go-lucky!"  
"That's because he called him a shrimp." Yagami answered, making two of the three siblings jump in fright - Inari had always been rather testy about his natural height, yet honest enough not to change it with his shape-shifting  
"When did she get there?" Kankuro loudly whispered to Temari, who only shrugged in answer  
"Just now." the white-haired girl smiled "Since there's no real point to this match I decided to drop by and say hi!"

"Hi, Hime-chan." Gaara dutifully answered the large smile and waving hand  
"Is this girl mad?" Kankuro wondered  
"Let's put it that way..." Temari mused "She may not have the jounin rank yet, she's got the jounin madness Konoha nin are known for down for par."  
"Oh."  
"Hi! Are you Gaara-kun's last sibling, The paint-wearing doll master?"  
"It's puppet master!"  
"Inari wins." the proctor announced, interrupting the boy's protest  
"Uh, already?"  
"Told you so." Yagami shrugged "My otouto is only genin on a technicality."

"Oh right," Gaara remembered "something about a minimal age to get promoted through regular channels?" he wondered "How does that works, aren't all the genin too young anyway for gaining a promotion then?"  
"Nope, all of them are already twelve or in the year of their twelve's birthday and the shinobi council agreed to a dispense for Inari-chan given our special circumstances." a smile "Anyway, the next match should be interesting!" she waved, and disappeared in the shadows the second the trio's attention was on the arena  
"One day, I'll understand how she does this!" Temari mumbled when she realized the Konoha chuunin had gone as smoothly as she had arrived

¤.¤.¤

In the arena, Hinata breathed deeply, not even bothering looking for her family in the public benches – she knew her father and sister had made the travel, but also knew it wasn't for her they'd come, but for her cousin.  
She smiled – she'd stopped trying to impress her clan a long time ago, and had even started to believe their claims that she was weak because she wasn't as ruthless as them. It was only when Yagami, after catching her spying on Naruto, had dragged her to the Inuzuka compound that she'd started to realize her clan weren't as all-knowing as they liked to depict them, nor as perfect. If they were, there would be no need for the cursed seal all but enslaving the three quarter of them, after all...

It was Naruto first who'd made her realize that it wasn't because one failed that he had to give up, then seeing Sasuke train with the boy made her realize even those vaunted as genius at the academy had to work to earn their title, Kiba made her realize how warm-hearted people could be in other clans, and Yagami was the one to prove to her that she could learn useful things by coaching her in something completely unrelated to shinobi arts.  
Before explaining how it could actually be used by shinobi.  
The Hyuuga clan heiress hadn't bothered revealing her progress in the compound.  
While she was progressing with the taijutsu style her family put so much pride in, albeit rather slowly, she had realized what her cousin hadn't until today a long time ago – it wasn't enough.

With a call from the proctor, Yoshimori, her opponent, jumped out of taijutsu range "Eh! What are you going to do now, pale-eye?" a snort "We've already seen earlier that you Hyuuga are useless when you can't land a hit!" the Iwa genin proclaimed  
With a pulse of chakra, the violet-haired girl activated her byakugan. She may not have the impressive range her cousin had, it was still more than enough for the arena.  
Turning minutely, as if she'd fallen under the genjutsu the other had started to weave, she fell into a posture reminiscent of the Juuken starting stance, chakra gathering to her finger tips before the other had realized.

Yoshimori screamed as he got hit by the flickers of lightning, all of them hitting the pin-point targets in his body, making his chakra flicker as several tenketsu were closed in his left arm. With that the useless genjutsu fell, and he realized Hinata had charged toward him while he was screaming. He used a volley of kunai to delay the girl and jump back, but she parried them all with her own, barely slowing at the interruption, before calling for a point blank _**"Ranton: Dangan!"**__.  
_The jutsu took the form of a chakra bullet a big as her fist, water and lightning nature mixing in a sparkling light azure color – and acting like overpowered mix of the two elements, if the Suna genin's reaction was to be believe as he dropped to his knees, drenched, and paralyzed.

_"__**Ranton**__?"_ Kankuro eyed his siblings "What the fuck, I'm pretty sure Storm Release is something only Kumogakure uses!"  
"More precisely, this is something they learned from the rare scrolls they managed to plunder from Uzushiogakure's fall." Temari pointed out "And right now, there's three Uzumaki in Konoha, and the two villages were allied."  
"Uh. Well, that little girl's just painted a target on her by using this so publicly." the puppet user mused "I doubt Kumo will like what they'll doubtless see as a mockery from Konoha."  
"That's the Hyuuga heiress. If you remember, Kumo and Konoha nearly went at war over her kidnapping attempt height years ago." his sister reminded him "I think she _wants_ them to be upset."

Down in the arena, Hinata turned toward the stunned proctor, an eyebrow raised. The Suna chuunin finally snapped out of his shock, announcing her victory, and the kind girl went back to the rest area with a smile, where she was all but mobbed by most of the other genin that had trained with her for years.  
"When you said you were waiting for a special occasion to show off, I didn't take it to mean you'd be stunning the whole world, you go girl!" Sakura crowed loudly "You have no idea how long I've itched to push your relatives noses in the mud with my knowledge of your techniques and had to refrain myself because you made me promise not to say anything!"  
"Are you ready for the consequences?" Yagami asked, a smile on her face but eyes serious  
"I am." the Hyuuga heiress nodded "I won't live in fear of Kumo anymore, they've taken enough from my family." a smile "I'll be their lightning rod now."  
In the back, Neji's eyes widened at the proclamation, and the initial reaction of blind anger was pushed to the side by Shikamaru's hand on his arm "Look at her eyes."

The older of the two Hyuuga genin did – and wondered how he could have been blinded enough, he who took so much pride in his eyes, not to realize the shy, weak-willed girl he looked-downed upon had grown up.  
He sighed, understanding in the same moment – he'd made the same mistake as all the other Hyuuga after all, main and branch house alike.  
Where they'd seen her kindness only as a weakness to be eradicated, people had come and nurtured it – to the point the the girl had now learned to stand on her two feet not because she'd forsaken her kindness, but because of it.

Now – she would stand before her family, attracting the ire as a whole other nation rather than live in fear of the day they heard about another, more successful attempt against them.  
It was this realization that made him step forward with the other Konoha nin "Congratulation, Hinata-sama."  
He was answered by a blindingly bright smile.  
"Thanks, Neji-nii-san!"

¤.¤.¤

Shikamaru groaned and stretched, waving amicably to his fellow clan heiress before walking toward the arena with a unenthusiastic mumble "Well, my turn I guess..."  
The Nara boy entered the arena, eyeing the irregular ground.  
Facing him was the last of the three Iwa genin.  
There was clear intelligence in the dark browned haired boy eye's, but while he didn't look as laid-back as the Nara himself, he also didn't appear to be as rigidly serious as Kamiko had been.  
The start of the fight was called, Hideki went on the offensive first, ninjatou in hand.

"You're good for a Nara." he mused as Shikamaru answered in kind "Your clan isn't known for it's kenjutsu."  
"Yeah, but I've got two cousins that don't believe in traditional training." the other answered with a despondent sigh "Nor in morning sleep-in."  
"Harsh." the other answered with an amused smile, not letting their banter prevent him from dodging the shadows sneaking toward him  
"Huh. I didn't expect you to be able to use both a weapon and your kekkai genkai." Hideki mused as he jumped out of range again a moment later, firing a _**katon**_** jutsu** toward the other at the same time  
Of course, Shikamaru dodged too, and both intellectual genin stood at the opposite side of the arena, eyeing each other and mentally going through their options.

Another _**katon**_ was thrown toward Shikamaru – but this time, the boy headed right in the jutsu's blast radius, appearing on the other side rushing toward Hideki, and engaging him with his blade once more.  
A few clashings later, and the Iwa nin stumbled, surprised as he was hurt by the blade he'd swear having dodged the moment before – and that small lapse in attention let Shikamaru's shadows take hold.  
"How did you..."  
"I made a clone in the cloud, then stayed hidden inside it."

"Which is why I didn't notice, since you were making foot-prints." the other mused "And once you were sure I was looking only at the clone, you hit me and used the surprise to catch me." a nod "Yeah, you've won."  
"You could probably still fight." Shikamaru pointed out calmly  
"Yeah, but you've clearly thought of a number of others ways to stop me haven't you."  
"Only about a hundred moves." the lazy genius said honestly "You're smart so it's more tiring than usual to think of ways to win."  
With that, the first round of the tournament ended – and while the genin went back to the rest area, _**doton**_ users filled the arena to repair it for the second round.

"Well," Kankuro commented, stretching lazily "I didn't expect those match to be so entertaining! But of course, no one would've won so easily if I'd been there with Karasu!"  
"The only reason we're not in this Exam is because you've broken Karasu right before the beginning and refused to fight with sub-par material!" Temari reminded, a spike of killing intent singling her brother out  
The boy paled, and laughed awkwardly "Yeah, well, er... You wouldn't like to fight without your fan either!"  
"Yeah, but I didn't destroy it right before the Chuunin Exam!"  
"It's good we're not participating." Gaara noted

"Eh?"  
"The next exam are in Konoha." the red-haired pointed out calmly "I'm rather curious to see their village."  
"Me too." Temari admitted "And it will be a good occasion to see all those shinobi again." a smile "That red-haired brat gave me a couple of good hints for my wind nature mastery!" she added pointing toward Inari, who somehow managed to see her and wave enthusiastically  
"They are very strange and different from the shinobi of Suna." Gaara nodded "But they are very accepting."  
Sakura had been the one, beside Naruto, to realize that Gaara was a jinchuuriki too – and she'd asked him about it very candidly, not even seeing the problem with how she and all the others were all friends with Naruto. All the other genin had taken the news in stride, merely asking if his ability to manipulated sand was a kekkai genkai or stemmed from the bijuu itself - something Gaara realized he didn't know the answer to, and had resolved to explore later.

¤.¤.¤

"And we're back for this tournament's second round!" the proctor announced, making all the spectators turn their attention back to the arena  
"So, any other surprise in store, Hiruzen?" the Kazekage asked  
"Yeah, did Konoha stole another village's kekkai genkai?" Onoki, the Sandaime Tsuchikage asked grumpily  
"Please Onoki, you who is even older than me must remember that _**Ranton**_ never was a Kumo kekkai genkai, but a talent of the Uzumaki originally."  
"Yet your previous red-head never used it!" the other old man grumbled  
"Do all your shinobi have exact same talent for the exact same chakra nature?" Hiruzen wondered

"Still, Uzumaki or not, it's rather impressive for such a young genin to master a secondary element, even more so without the correct kekkai genkai to help." Rasa mused "Not to mention Hyuuga aren't famed for their ability with ninjutsu. It looks to me like you've got some pretty strong candidates for the chuunin rank."  
"I'm rather impressed with this generation." Hiruzen admitted with a smile "Who knows, maybe there's a future Hokage among them."  
"Ah! I hope you don't intent to wait from them to grow that old!" Onoki taunted "You're old enough as it is!"  
The hokage didn't rise to the comment, merely eyeing his fellow kage that was even older than him with a deadpan expression.  
Meanwhile in the arena, Naruto and Chie were waiting for the proctor's signal...

Having seen from the previous match that Naruto was a front-line fighter, Chie immediately dropped back, sending a first wave of shuriken, then a second one so fast they were nearly hidden by the first ones – this time enhanced with her _**fuuton**_ affinity.  
The blond easily dodged the first wave – was a bit more surprised by the second but manage to _**kawarimi**_ himself with one of the discarded weapon a bit out of the way and took advantage of it to call a pair of _**kage bunshin**__,_ and loose himself among the identical solid copies of himself, before rushing toward the girl, all three replica of Naruto dodging the weapons as thought they were copies.

Of course, by the time the first Naruto arrived near her and was dispelled with one kunai hit, as was the second shortly after, it was easy to guess which was the real Naruto – but it had been enough distraction for him to discreetly stick a tag to the back of Chie, the Suna genin never realizing thanks to the clone distraction.  
The girl tried to jump away from Naruto once more, since she was clearly struggling in their taijutsu battle - but realized her movement were sluggish.  
"What the... poison?" she wondered, barely dodging the _**fuuton**_** jutsu** heading her way – surprised to see a Konoha nin with a wind affinity  
After that, the fight was soon over, Naruto wearing her down quickly thanks to the seal on her back and his taijutsu skill,finally catching her with a small _**doton**_ that shook the ground, making Chie stumble and drop directly into the blond's fist.

"Well," Rasa mused "There's one more surprise, an Uzumaki fighting with seals, it had been a long while. This kid has talent, even if his hair are the wrong color."  
Hiruzen nodded "He may have missed the red-hair, there's no mistaking Naruto's Uzumaki genes."he said "From the moment he learned they were his clan specialty, he's started training. It's his way to reconnect with his ancestors as an orphan."  
The Kazekage nodded, understanding the motivation easily, but far more interested by the blond's talent.  
"Another shoe-in for chuunin, I'd say."  
"Probably." the hokage nodded "He's matured faster than I expected." he eyed the dejected red-head that was being helped toward the contestants rest area by Naruto "But your genin wasn't bad either."  
"She didn't notice the seal."

"There hasn't been a shinobi fighting with seals since Uzushio's fall nearly thirty years ago." Hiruzen defended "So it wasn't stupid to bet on poison, and her strategic thinking between the two match she fought in wasn't bad at all."  
"I think she still needs to grow up a bit more." Rasa mused "Onoki, you're pretty silent."  
"Bah, all the idiots already got eliminated, didn't they?"  
"Yeah, but well, the girl that tied against young Neji was rather talented. And that boy against young Shikamaru clearly has all the qualities of a chuunin."  
"Hideki isn't too bad." Onoki added with clear bad grace "Even if he admitted his loss pretty easily."

"Against a Nara, it was the smartest thing to do." Rasa pointed out "Especially a Nara with a blade, you might very well be right in saying this generation is particularly talented."  
"That stands for Suna too." Hiruzen pointed out "This girl against Lee, Kamiko, she was very talented."  
"Yet you're not considered promoting your own genin? The green boy?"  
"Lee is very talented, but he'll have to grow more before he's ready to take the duties of a leader."  
"True, he did check with his jounin-sensei before uncovering his abilities." Onoki remembered with a snort

¤.¤.¤

The next match was a full Konoha one - Kiba versus Sasuke.  
In the next ten minutes, the Uchiha heir proved why he was vaunted as a prodigy too, managing to take full advantage of his newly unlocked sharingan to dodge the combination jutsu of the young Inuzuka and his nin-ken, before hitting the dog with a lightning enhanced kunai and taking advantage's of Kiba's worry for Akamaru to rush toward him, knocking him out with a heavy hit uncharacteristic of his usual fighting style, and so much more so efficient because of it. Then, as the proctor was calling his victory, he checked on the young nin-ken, knowing he hadn't used a very powerful jutsu, but still wanting to see if the dog was alright.

"Well, that was more a sparring match than a true battle." Onoki grumbled  
"But the Uchiha proved he could surprise even his closest ally if needed."  
"And he checked on them after." Hiruzen complete with a small smile "Just like a good leader should."  
"The Inuzuka's talented, but he's just as brash as most of them, he needs to do some more growing up." Rasa commented, making Hiruzen nod his agreement  
"Another Konoha match!" Onoki grumble "If I wanted to see tree-monkeys I would have gone to Hi no Kuni!"  
"You know Suna and Konoha have been allies for a long time."

"Bah, your alliance is nothing more than pretty words given how the Wind Daimyo's been all but pouring his missions to you!"  
"Most of which we refuse."  
That seemed to surprise both his fellow kage, Hiruzen noted with some worry.  
"Really... But then... Where do these missions go? And why were we told you took them?"  
"True." nodded Onoki "There's something fishy going on there." he frowned "And by someone talented enough to fool several kage!"  
The two other nodded, all three making a mental note to put their spies on the problem.  
"It seems to me we may need to see each other again soon to discuss how to better maintain our alliance." Hiruzen told Rasa, making the other nod his agreement, the Kazekage knew better than most after all how much he couldn't afford a conflict right now with how much the budget cuts from his Daimyo had diminished his village

¤.¤.¤

Hinata and Inari smiled to himself in the arena, both making the traditional confrontation seal despite it not being required in the tournament.  
"Please don't go easy on me, Inari-san."  
The red-haired smiled at the confident girl that, despite knowing she wouldn't win had no intention of shying away from the fight, nor loose.  
"Don't mind if I do, Hinata-chan."  
The girl smiled and fell into the starting stance of the Juuken, Inari in front of her adopting another stance – one she knew belonged to the Uzumaki's own taijutsu style, the Uzuken.  
Contrarily to the very static Juuken the Uzuken was a style of perpetual movement, and one the red-haired mastered perfectly as was soon evident as he danced around the Hyuuga's attack.

Unbeknownst to them, the girl's father was watching intently in the public area, realizing that even if she wasn't as advanced as Neji, she was still a lot better than he'd ever realized now that she was fighting against someone she didn't fear hurting - after all, Hinata knew just as well as the other genin that Inari's status as a genin was more of a technical point than anything else since he helped them train just as well as the jounin did.  
In the arena, Hinata was the first to go from pure taijutsu to something that looked less like a structured fight and more like a real battle, her next strike sending a volley of sparkling chakra senbon toward the Uzumaki, who seamlessly replaced himself with a kunai he threw the second before the lightning hit him.  
"Log almighty, that boy..." Yagami mused from her place with the genin "Carelessly using jounin level skills in a genin test!"  
"Jounin level?" Kiba repeated "That was just a _**kawarimi**_, wasn't it ? It's like, Academy level..."  
"Try to throw a kunai this accurately and to substitute yourself with it at the same time and you'll understand." Shikamaru was the one to answer "The level of control needed isn't something anyone can muster and you need more chakra to substitute with something so small."

Unexpectedly finding herself with Inari in her back, Hinata turned, but not quite fast enough, and caught the other's feet in the rib.  
Despite a wince as she got up, the bluenette wasn't done just yet as she dropped a few smoke pellets before charging in, her byagukan telling her precisely where the other was.  
The smoke was lightened by her _**Ranton**_ as her fist was caught by Inari, that had felt her arrive a second too late thanks to the smoke that managed to hamper his sens of smell and vision enough that he only could only rely on his canine sharp hearing – something the Hyuuga knew and took advantage of by having thrown several kunai toward those the one that was littering the ground, the clanging sound hiding the moment she jumped to attack.

Surprised by the attack, Inari answered with reflexes honed by centuries of battle, catching the fist with his own and taking his own weapon toward his opponent's nearest weak point.  
In the contestants area, Yagami tensed for a moment, ready to jump in, and relaxed when she realized her son's tanto had stopped before hurting Hinata.  
"Looks like I've lost." Hinata mused as the dust settled around them  
The red-haired stepped back, his tanto disappearing back in his ****Inventory**** without anyone batting an eye about it – something not surprising given the existence of summoning jutsu and sealing scrolls – and both bowed and finished their fight with a seal of reconciliation.

"If that boy is a genin, then I'm a fucking samurai." Onoki mumbled  
"Inari is skilled." Hiruzen agreed "his participation is more a formality than anything else, but I couldn't just arbitrarily promote him."  
"You mean like those two dozen of lab-rats you promoted a couple of years ago..." the old kage's eyes widened "Of course, he's another of them!"  
"He was in a coma for several years." Hiruzen shrugged noncommittally  
"Still, it's quite convenient for you, all these orphan's with kekkai genkai falling in your laps!"  
"If by falling in my laps you refers to the years of hunting some of my best Anbu did, and the hundreds of dead children they found during their search, then yes, it's convenient." Hiruzen bite out, rather annoyed at the comment

"It's still a sensitive subject." Rasa mused  
"It's my own failing for not seeing my student was becoming mad, and I've had quite a few mental health reports to read to remind me of that failure." the hokage pointed out to the kazekage "You tell me how you'd feel if it was happening in your village."  
The other nodded, conceding the point, before steering the talk in safer water "Still, I think we all agree that the boy should be a jounin if not for your more recent regulations, but the girl..."  
"She hold out well, despite clearly knowing how skilled the other was." Onoki agreed with surprisingly little bad-faith "She's got guts, a level-headed mind and the skill to back all of this up. I'd promote her."  
His two fellow kage eyed him, wondering what the hell was going on in the old shinobi's mind for him to praise so easily a Konoha genin…  
Never realizing it was just as he'd said – he simply liked the combination of skill and guts the girl had demonstrated.

¤.¤.¤

Shikamaru smiled happily as the proctor proclaimed that since there was an uneven number of contestants left, he was joining the other contestants directly in the third round, while the _**doton**_ users were once more mending the arena.  
"Well," Yagami stretched out "I'm out to see the Suna siblings!"  
"Hey! You're not staying for our fights?" Naruto protested  
"I'll be seeing just as well on the benches." the white haired pointed out

"Beside, it's rather evident how this tournament is ending now." Shikamaru yawned "Maybe I should just forfeit..."  
"Not even mentioning Ren, do you really want to risk Ayame-chan's wrath?" Sasuke asked  
The Nara shuddered "Not worth it." he agreed with the Uchiha heir "Thanks for preventing me from doing something stupid I'd never have lived down..."  
"And I'm the over-dramatic one?" Naruto pouted

"Ah! The ghost is back!"  
"Ghost?"  
"You're white and appear and disappear like a shadow! You're a ghost." nodded Kankuro, making the chuunin laugh  
"Back with us, Hime-chan?"  
"Well I have to make the best of the day, we'll soon be heading back to Konoha." the girl pointed out, snuggling against Gaara and making Kankuro pale – they nearly smother himself with a cough as the red-haired answered to the hug with no awkwardness  
He turned toward his elder sibling, the blond girl shrugging "Don't ask me, I've no explanation either. Apparently they became friend because she saw him having insomnia."  
"When the older shinobi told us Konoha nin were strange, I always thought they were overstating things, you know." Kankuro mused "But between the matchs we've seen and that girl, I'm finding myself a believer now..."

Yagami laughed at the affirmation but didn't stop what she was doing – that is to say, share a plate of grilled meat skewers with the red-hair jinchuuriki, making Kankuro wonder when she'd got them since the vendor was on the other side of the arena  
"I'm an Uzumaki." she answered the intrigued glance "I sealed them to keep them warm before coming."  
"Seal users really are cheated." he mumbled  
"Hey, you're a puppet master, you could win a fight without even stepping in the arena if it was authorized!" the white-haired girl protested  
The boy had to concede the point – then turned his attention back to the arena as Naruto and Sasuke stepped in it.  
"So, who do you think will win?" Temari asked  
"It'll be a tie." Yagami affirmed "Sasuke is more skilled, but not by that large a margin, and Naruto's unpredictability works very well against him." she smiled, amused "They nearly always end in a tie, but I think they still haven't realized it and each is persuaded he'll manage to beat the other eventually..."

"This time, you're going down, pretty eyes or not!"  
The fight was nothing like structured battle Hinata and Inari had, instead it was explosive from the start, Naruto dodging as Sasuke called forth a _**"Katon: Goukakyu no jutsu!"**_that was rather distinctive of the Uchiha, spamming a few _**kage bunshin**_ before rushing toward the other, dodging the fuma shuriken that had been hidden in the flame and two of his clones parrying the following onslaught of regular shuriken, letting him close the gap between them.  
Naruto's Uzuken was far less fluid than Inari's, but it was also clearly more oriented toward power strike, something that was soon clear when simply parrying the oncoming kick made Sasuke sink a few centimeters in the ground.  
Naruto tried to push his advantage, a clone in Sasuke's back calling _**"Fuuton: Repuushou!"**_ hearing the name called, Sasuke stopped trying to push Naruto back and instead dropped to the ground, slashing at the blond's legs before getting up, taking the clone down with a kunai and rushing toward Naruto with a call of _**"Uchiha Ryuu: Higasa no mai!"**_.

Naruto's yes widened at the technique he'd never seen the other use - even if he did know the jutsu itself since it was a favorite of Kagami, a kunai now coated in a blade of fire slashing toward him. He swapped place with his last clone with a hasty _**kawarimi**_ and launched himself toward the other's back.  
Still on his momentum, Sasuke couldn't evade the strike, but managed to throw his still fiery kunai toward Naruto as he stumbled, singeing the blond who had to jump back to avoid part of the attack.  
"I'll show you mine if you show me yours!" Naruto called as both took a breath on opposite side of the arena  
Sasuke smirked at the crude and not unusual joke, before flaring his chakra, black turning to red, one tomoe swirling in each eye.  
From the other side, three golden chakra chains appeared, swirling wildly around the blond Uzumaki and rushing toward his opponent.

Thanks to the predictive ability of his eyes, Sasuke was able to dodge the chains far better than he ever had, boldly coming closer from the other, before launching himself toward Naruto with a call of _**"Raiton: Jibashi!"**__._ By now, Sasuke was too close to Naruto for the _**Adamantine Chains**_to stop the Uchiha – so instead he used one of the three chakra construct as a support, launching himself out of the attack areas.  
The landing was rough – but not as rough as taking the lightening jutsu head on would have been, as the crumbling ground could attest.  
Naruto eyed his team-mate – the boy had thrown around several chakra costly jutsu, so he must be on the last leg of his reserve, as for himself, despite the massive well of chakra he had, the Adamantine chains were very costly too, so he couldn't afford to keep this up much longer either.

With that he called _**"Fuuton: Tsume!"**_just as Sasuke was jumping over-head.  
He let himself slide under the other genin, but the Uchiha's sharingan picked up on the move, and Sasuke used the chains around him to redirect his attack, wincing a bit as the hand that had touched the chains came out of of it burned. Not that surprising when he thought about it - those chains were pure chakra construct after all, and Naruto's chakra was particularly dense and potent.  
A last _**"Uchiha Ryuu: Higasa no mai!"**_found it's target as the same time as the wind razor-sharp claws sank through his middle.  
Both genin jumped barely a feet back, one bleeding, the other burnt, both clearly on their last leg. They shared a weary glance, before sighing.  
"Yeah, I think we're done, eh?" the blond mused "The next hit would end the fight by knocking the both of us out..."  
The black-haired one nodded, making the proctor call a tie, as they each helped the other limp toward the rest area.

"That was surprisingly insightful." Rasa mused "That blond didn't look level-headed enough for such a decision, and yet..."  
"They've learned that as bad as the fight is, there's always the aftermath to think of." Hiruzen explained remembering the number of training cession he'd witnessed in his crystal ball – and the numerous times when both got a bit too heated in their spars, and Yagami had dropped them without any rest in a dangerous training ground as a punishment  
"Ah? Not all genin realize that knowing when to retreat is just as much a leader's quality as knowing when to forge on." Onoki noted  
"Not all genin are lucky to have a chuunin team-mate." Hiruzen explained "Their team-mate before Inari got an apprenticeship, but she still drops by to help with their training... Yagami-chan's method have been described as a bit extreme, but clearly they've done wonder for the boys."

¤.¤.¤

Shikamaru sighed as he and Inari entered the arena "Well, don't go too hard on me."  
Inari laughed at the lackluster demand, and reminded him "You've got to try a bit at least!"  
"Bah, as much as I think ahead, you'll always win!"  
"And can you manage to land a hit on me?"  
The black-haired grew contemplative at this, and his eyes were more motivated as the proctor called the beginning of the fight "That, I can do."

With that, the Nara took his tanto out and surprisingly jumped in the fight. Without much surprise, Inari could parry all his attacks easily while dodging around the shadows on the ground – that is until, barely a minute in the fight, Shikamaru's blade wasn't parried, but instead grazed the momentarily surprised Uzumaki.  
"Oh, you've started to grasp shadow-blending!"  
"I have." Shikamaru nodded before calling "I forfeit!"  
"Er... you're sure ?" the surprised proctor asked  
"In all of the hundreds of move I can plan ahead, I'll never manage to touch him a second time now that I've surprised him once." the Nara shrugged "I've done what I could."

Rasa laughed at the admission "The boy is smart, to realize something like that."  
"And he was the only to even touch the red-head." Onoki added "Frigging Nara geniuses."  
"Well I guess the tournament is over then..."  
All three kage spent a few more moments talking over about their genin before all eighteen were called back in the arena, who'd been once more repaired, where all three kage were already waiting for them.

"You've all done your villages proud." Rasa praised as he finish the closing speech "But some of you did go even further, proving they had not only the fighting prowess any shinobi should have, but also the qualities to become a leader..."  
All genin shared uneasy and hopeful glances as Onoki step out first "Hideki, congratulation you're now a chuunin of Iwagakure!"  
Hiruzen followed "Inari, Sasuke, Naruto, Hinata, Shikamaru, congratulation you are now chuunin of Konohagakure!"  
Rasa took over "Chie, Satoru, Kamiko, congratulation, you are now chuunin of Sunagakure."  
With that, all the jounin-sensei that had been waiting a bit behind came forward to congratulate their students, as the public started to evacuate the arena.  
Yagami dragged Gaara along, Temari and Kankuro following more sedately as they came to congratulate their friends too, as friends and family from all genin present were crowding in the arena.

Rasa watched with some surprise as his children easily mingled with the Konoha crowd "Seems like some friendship were born during their stay here." Hiruzen mused nearby  
"I hadn't realized." the kazekage admitted, mentally wondering why he hadn't heard about it, not even from his Anbu - he would later learn that just like his daughter, they were all too hopeful about Gaara's newfound restrain to dare out an end to it in any way, nor had they noticed anything more than simple friendship between the previously barking mad jinchuuriki and the young chuunin girl  
"Organizing the Chuunin Exam is an honor, but it's also a lot of work." the older kage commented in understanding at the other's surprise "My sons have blamed me often enough about the time watching over the village took me away from my family..."  
The red-haired kage nodded. He wasn't a very emotive man, and took his duty very seriously, but it was still jarring to see how much he could miss in only a few weeks – his youngest son that last he'd heard was still a murderous monster was dragged along by a little girl! A chuunin little girl, sure enough, but it was easy to see that no coercion was involved in the action beyond that of a children making puppy eyes...

By the time the Konoha delegation was leaving, the kazekage and Hokage had already talked about the missions disappearance problem they'd noticed, both realizing that someone was trying to put their two villages at odds, someone subtle enough that hadn't they talked about the topic during the Tournament, something rather irregular during the event as kage were usually more focused on the chuunin would-be performances than other regular state affairs, they'd never have realized.  
As such, communication had to be reopened between the two villages, but not visibly enough that the unknown meddler realized.  
The unexpected friendship the kazekage's children had struck with the Konoha genin would help, as it was well known that Gaara did about whatever he wanted since he was known for barely controlling his powers.

If the boy decided to make his team take a detour near Hi no Kuni, there was nothing anyone could do that would prevent him from doing so.  
Yagami herself had assured the hokage that she would be able to communicate with the jinchuuriki easily – she had shared **Chaos** **Game** with him herself three weeks into their stay in Suna, precisely for the red-haired she all but considered like her own child, just like she did the bijuu themselves, to be able to stay in touch with her despite the distance between the two villages.  
Keeping in touch wouldn't be a chore.

¤.¤.¤

It was only as they arrived back in Konoha that the Life Quest all had unlocked by going to Suna finally completed itself...

****[Life Quest complete! Chuunin Exam in Suna...****  
__the Chuunin Exam occurs twice a year in the hidden village, and this time, they'll happen in Sunagakure, travel there and take part in the exam__  
****Goal complete:**** Chuunin Exam first test complete** (3/3)**  
****Goal complete:**** Chuunin Exam second test complete **(3/3)**  
****Goal complete:****Ichibi Jinchuuriki met  
****Hidden Goal complete:**** Gaara befriended  
****Goal:**** Chuunin promotion obtained **(5/9)**  
****Goal failed:****don't reveal any special jutsu  
****Bonus goal:**** sharingan unlocked **(1/2)  
******Bonus goal complete:****Neji reconciled with Hinata  
****Bonus goal complete:****remind the world the Uzumaki are still alive  
****Hidden goal complete:****learn about the hidden interference between Suna and Konoha  
****Hidden Goal failed:****learn who is interfering between Suna and Konoha  
****Hidden goal complete:**** Naruto's secrets weren't guessed by the other villages nin **(2/2)**  
****Reward******: **12*10XP, +3 Perk Point  
****Bonus reward:****+3*20XP, +1 Elemental Skill Book  
****Hidden reward:**** +4*20XP, +1 B-rank Jutsu to be chosen, +100 000 ryo shared between ****Inventories****]

**[Level up! **You are now level **91**!  
__+4CP, +20SP]__

**[******Team7**** level up!  
**Naruto** is now level **56**_(+5lv)_**/** **Sasuke** is now level **56**_(+5lv)_/ **Inari** is **level** **max**]  
**[******Team8**** level up!  
**Sakura** is now level **52**_(+5lv)_/ **Kiba** is now level **54**_(+5lv)_/ **Hinata** is now level **49**_(+5lv)_]  
**[******Team9**** level up!  
**Neji** is now level **52**_(+5lv)_/ **Lee** is now level **51**_(+5lv)_/ **Shikamaru** is now level **50**_(+5lv)_]  
[****Jounin******-******sensei**** level up!  
[**Kagami** is now level **116**_(+1lv)_/ **Kakashi** is now level **98**_(+2lv)_/ **Ren** is now level **97**_(+2lv)_/ Guy is now level **98**_(+2lv)_]

Shikamaru noted the minute reaction of surprise some; but not all of the people around him were having – and quickly realized they were all people that hanged regularly at the Inuzuka alpha's den. He wondered a second about ignoring the event as too troublesome – but it was Yagami's nearly unnoticeable paling that made him change his mind.  
He didn't know what had happened, but the white-haired girl was as good as family since everyone in the Nara clan knew her and his cousin had found each others from a previous life, and their feelings for each other, as purely platonic as they were for now, were something no one ignored in the shadow users compound – after all, they'd seen the usually cool Ren fall apart when he'd realized his wife was suffering, and the desperate search that had followed.

As young as he was, Shikamaru still remembered, and he'd grown close to the girl in his own way since then...  
So as most people were heading back their own way, and like usual the same group heading toward the Inuzuka compound, he smiled to his father.  
"I'll be home later."  
The other nodded, having noted something was happening just as well, and smiling biter-sweetly at the rather mature decision the other had just made by caring - happy to have upped the boy's training early on, because he knew that entangling himself with the little girl would only lead to strife latter on, yet proud despite it that the boy had decided to care.  
Family was never too troublesome after all, no matter what they may claim on a daily basis.  
"It's troublesome, but I'll tell your mother."  
Shikamaru nodded his thanks, seeing and understanding the flutter of emotions in his father's eyes, and went to follow the genin and new chuunin – and was surprised to see Hinata fall in line with him.

"I don't have your intelligence," the girl explained at his intrigued glance "but they're my friends too, and something happened." her eyes darkened "Inari is worried for Yami-chan. And Inari doesn't worry easily. Sasuke is so disturbed he hasn't picked up on Naruto calling him an idiot. Ren is all but cuddling Yami-chan, when they nearly never touch in public." the girl listed calmly "Need I go on?"  
Her choice made - Hinata wouldn't know that on that evening, both her father and sister had been disappointed when the girl hadn't come home, only then clearly understanding how much the girl had separated herself from them, and how much it was their fault.  
It would be the push necessary for Hiashi to decide and try to win back his daughter, finally deciding to stop listening to the old, outdated fossils of the his Elder Council.

A few steps ahead of Shikamaru and Hinata, their friends had realized they were following them, and with the numerous canine senses present in the group, heard what they were saying. As such they'd slowed enough to let them catch up, and Naruto soon started to explain "When I was a child, I realized I could see things other people couldn't. I went to jiji, and he explained to me it was the Uzumaki inheritance." he said "It's something called ****Chaos**** ****Game****, and it puts abilities in numbers, give information about the world around me..." a sigh "Many things. And more importantly, this was because of this well of knowledge that my clan had been hunted into near extinction. But it was still something I could, and wanted to share with people around me..."  
"Which is why you've all realized something as we reached the town."  
Naruto nodded, sending two invitations at the same time "Sometimes, when an event happens nearby, we've got ****Quests**** with rewards unlocked, a bit like personal missions, and at the end of the quest it tells us what we managed and failed."  
"And of course the chuunin exam was one such a quest." Shikamaru guessed  
"It was." Sakura confirmed "With most goals rather expected, finish a part of the exam, win a promotion..."  
"But there were some bonus goal and hidden goal that raised some questions..." Kakashi complete as they entered the den

"Yagami..." Ren sighed as the girl all but curled around herself "When we rescued you... I commented that it was lucky there weren't any Uchiha or Hyuuga among the children because of the fuss they'd have kicked up."  
Sasuke and Hinata shared a glance at that, both easily realizing the jounin was right.  
"But there was a Uchiha, right?" Kagami realized, paling as he remembered the small, innocuous side-note about a sensitive bloodline thankfully dormant in the mission report Raven had submitted  
Instinctively, Ayame and Isao had gone to their savior, not needing to hear anything - they had been there for the last batch of operation after all, used as hostage to remind Yagami of the consequences if she tried to resist. Even if they hadn't been able to tell all that Orochimaru, deep in his madness, was doing, they knew he had tried to implant more kekkai genkai to the girl - having simply thought up until today, that he had failed.  
Of course, it was but wishful thinking.

"Ten." Yagami whispered, in a voice so low it was nearby inaudible "According to ****Chaos**** ****Game****, that's the number of bloodlines the human body can stand before breaking. What ****Chaos**** ****Game**** doesn't put in numbers is how much the chances of death raise with each consecutive **Inheritance**." she laughed a mirthless laugh "Eventually, Orochimaru realized that not only the people around me tended to survived better his experimentation, but I also had an uncanny ability to survive."  
Silence had fallen in the den by now, no one daring to stop the chilling retelling.  
"He added one blood-line on top of the three I was born with without much hope, and was surprised I survived." she listed, the shadows dancing around her "Of course, he didn't know using shadows wasn't anything new for me."  
"He added a fifth blood-line, sure I was going to die, a few months later." she continued an ice flower appearing in her fingers with but a though "When I survived he realized he'd struck gold."  
"That's when he went mad?" Ayame whispered  
"He was already mad before." Yagami answered without humor

"I lost conscious as he added the sixth and seventh bloodline in direct succession, never letting me leave the operation bloc. Fearing I would go blind as my body rebelled as it tried to adapt to the new, wildly different bloodlines. I woke up in a hospital bed in Konoha, eyes still burning and ten Inheritance listed in my ****Characteristic**** ****Tab******."**  
She snorted.  
"For a genius, that man really is an idiot. He's so obsessed with learning all the ninjutsu in the world, he mainly tried to implant elemental bloodline. I nearly died in his hands just for the ability to use some elements more easily!"  
"And the sharingan."  
She nodded.  
The girl maybe better, Shikamaru mused – she had left a part of her behind in the labs, and that part was the one making her shivering in the warm weather of Konoha simply by talking about what had happened. She still hadn't even pronounced the word "sharingan" after all.  
And he had the feeling she'd all but ignored all those new blood-lines earned that day, and still would be doing it if not for the offensive goal update.

¤.¤.¤

Not much more had been told that day, the pack simply closing ranks around their suffering members, Hinata and Shikamaru added to the group without a second thought - both familiar enough with the Inuzuka Compound that they adapted easily to the den.  
It was only the next day that the Nara genius broached the topic he'd mused about the day before.  
"You've avoided using those abilities ever since, haven't you."  
"I've... played around with the elemental manipulation."  
"I may not have lived with you for years like Naruto or Ren, but I know you Yami-chan." the young genius pointed out "You don't play around with your abilities, you master them, you make them a natural part of you, that's why you're such a natural born fighter."  
"I... can't." she admitted with a sigh "The elements I can use a bit without problem, the _**genjutsu**__,_ I've touched a bit but it's not my specialty... The Senjutsu ability, I'll come back too when I'm more ready since it is something I'll need eventually... But... _those eyes_..."  
She closed her eyes.

"I could feel the chakra pathway grow and change, tearing my head apart, as if someone was pouring liquid fire all along the pathways and it was slowly moving toward my eyes... You wouldn't believe how different those eyes are from normal ones..."  
A sigh.  
"I've lived for more than two thousand years." she mused "Lost an arm at nine year old, died and ascended as a goddess in the middle of a nuclear winter, and never did I feel something like that..."  
Truth be told, she still didn't know why that bloodline had been so painful to adapt to - even if she did have a theory.

After all, the sharigan was a direct result of Kaguya's blood flowing into the Uchiha line, and as twisted as she'd become, the ryu had been a goddess of Life, a being completely opposed to her own holy powers. While she had a minor affinity for one of Life powers, it was an affinity for elements, that she suspected explained why she progressed so fast with all elemental manipulation...  
But if there was one power she would never have any affinity for, by her very own nature as Death, it was the creation power of Life - something Kaguya had excelled in...  
"You're going to have to learn about all of those powers." Shikamaru affirmed in the middle of surprised whisper, not knowing about her inner musing - Ren, on the other hand, having caught a bit of it thanks to their link if his thoughtful eyes were to be believed  
"He's right." Ren, Kakashi and Kagami commented at the same time, making the chuunin and genin around them eye them in surprised  
Of course – Yagami herself knew they were right, but the thing about trauma was that as much as you knew what was the logical action to take to get better, it didn't mean you necessarily managed to do it.

"As long as she doesn't accept those bloodlines as a part of her she won't be getting better, she's just pushing the problem to the side and ignoring it." Ren explained to the teenagers "And that never ends well."  
"Imagine she did unlock the sharingan." Kakashi added "In the middle of a battle against a jounin or an Anbu, and that because of the shock, she froze. What do you think would happen?"  
"She'd die." Hinata realized in an horrified whisper, the other not far behind in their own sudden understanding of the situation  
The affirmation had made Naruto's eyes widen in panic and he'd all but climbed over everyone else to burrow into the white-haired girl, somehow managing to make Isao move – not that the boy had resisted too much, understanding that it was as much to comfort Yagami as to reassure himself of the fact the girl was still there that the boy needed the contact "We'll do some training from hell! And I won't complain, but you can't die, Yami-chan! If you die, everyone will be alone!"

The rather panicked complaint didn't make much sense – but it did make the white-haired girl smile for the first time since she'd touched back on the nightmare inducing memories.  
She didn't doubt that she was in for some bad nights, and probably some even worse days – but for the first time since she'd woken up in Konoha's hospital four years ago, the idea of using all those untapped powers didn't left her in a complete state of panic.  
She had survived Voldemort - no way was she letting another Snake Bastard ruining her life anymore!

* * *

**[******Yagami****/ Age 7 / Level 91  
****Physical Main Stat 124(184):****Strength 36(66) / Agility 67(108) / Endurance 21 (31)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 149(194): ****Intelligence 62(92) / Will 34(46) / Wisdom 53(62)  
****Social Main Stat 101(153): ****Presence 21(29) / Perception 52(84) / Luck 32(56)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 332(534) / HP regen/min 3,35(6,03) / Chakra Points 667 / CP regen/min 7,45  
Damage 45,3(86,5) / Defense 25,5(46) / Reaction Speed 53,2(84,9)  
Chakra control 42,2(58,4) / Chakra Density 39,7(55,9) / Mind Speed 59,3(83)  
Critic Chance 21,9(49,1) / Critic Damage Multiplier 14,5(48,4), Loot Bonus 33(56,2)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 11 / Level 56  
****Physical Main Stat 88(132):****Strength 42(55) / Agility 31(39) / Endurance 15 (38)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 77(106): ****Intelligence 27(27) / Will 29(52) / Wisdom 21(27)  
****Social Main Stat 48(76): ****Presence 15(16) / Perception 18(23) / Luck 15(37)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 236(416) / HP regen/min 2,38(4,2) / Chakra Point 565 / CP regen/min 5,65  
Damage 38,7(51,1) / Defense 23,1(43,1) / Reaction Speed 26,2(38,7)  
Chakra control 20,8(26,6) / Chakra Density 26,6(44,5) / Mind Speed 25,2(27)  
Critic Chance 3,74(6,12) / Critic Damage Multiplier 5,81(18,9), Loot Bonus 15,6(30)]

**[******Sasuke****/ Age 11 / Level 56  
****Physical Main Stat 93(115):****Strength 32(38) / Agility 46(62) / Endurance 15(15)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 76(118): ****Intelligence 36(58) / Will 23(29) / Wisdom 17(31)  
****Social Main Stat 55(72):****Presence 16(19) / Perception 21(36) / Luck 18(18)]

**[******Kiba****/ Age 11 / Level 53  
****Physical Main Stat 83(116):****Strength 37(57) / Agility 29(39) / Endurance 17(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 74(80): ****Intelligence 27(27) / Will 25(31) / Wisdom 22(22)  
****Social Main Stat 52(61):****Presence 12(12) / Perception 26(35) / Luck 14(14)]

**[******Sakura****/ Age 11 / Level 52  
****Physical Main Stat 82(85):****Strength 25(28) / Agility 43(43) / Endurance 14(14)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 84(117)******: **Intelligence 42(58) / Will 23(29) / Wisdom 19(30)  
****Social Main Stat 49(52):****Presence 12(12) / Perception 21(24) / Luck 16(16)]

**Level ranking:**  
**0-10** civilians  
**10**-**25** academy students  
**25**-**50** genin  
**50**-**75** chuunin  
**75**-**100** jounin  
**100** **and** **over**: kage and other S-rank  
Of course it's only an approximation since the Kage is the one who decides about the promotions

**Regular Team breakout:**

****Team 6:**** sensei Sarutobi Asuma, Isao(chuunin) Ino and Shino  
****Team 8:**** sensei Nara Ren, Ayame(chuunin) Kiba and Sakura  
****Team 9:****sensei Might Guy, Neji, Lee and Shikamaru(chuunin)  
****Team 10:**** sensei Yuuhi Kurenai,Tenten, Chouji and Hinata(chuunin)  
****Team Hatake:**** Kakashi, Inari(chuunin), Naruto(chuunin) and Sasuke(chuunin)**  
******Team Uchiha/Anbu Team Mongoose:**** Uchiha Kagami, Hatake Yagami(chuunin/Anbu:Alpha)


	6. V Tree and Ice

**Hi! **Thank you all for your reviews and for reading my stories!  
I've got most of Naruto's first part done (pre time-lapse), but am still doing a second reading to try and get rid of the mistakes in grammar/orthography/story-line I see which is why I haven't posted all chapters at once.  
Of course, the rhythm of publishing will slow down once those chapters are out - I still need to write the rest after all!

Regarding the comments I've had so far...  
\- Ren is 3 years older than Naruto, and Yagami 4 years younger, so a 7 years age gap between the two  
\- Midori no Tsuki Kamisama - the Green Moon Goddess  
\- And for the fact I'm switching regularly between character rather than focusing only on Yagami. Frankly, the universe of Naruto is way too dense to focus on only one character, even in the original story the autor was regularly jumping his focus from one character to the other. Sorry for those it annoys but while Yagami is may Main Character, I'm still going to write about the other characters - something I did in 3.0 too

Hope you enjoy!

* * *

****V. Tree and Ice****

"Yo! Iruka-sensei!"  
"Naruto-kun, Sasuke-kun, congratulation on your promotion. You're a bit young for scouting the future genin, so what are you doing at the academy?"  
The two chuunin smiled at the cheerful academy teacher – when they had struck their friendship first, years ago, the chuunin had been the only one in the Academy not to try and break them up, fearing Naruto would negatively influence Sasuke.  
While the jounin were all intelligent enough to realize Naruto wasn't the Kyuubi, and the genin too young too know he was a jinchuuriki, the chuunin were a mixed bunch, most of them knowing better, but a few, generally desk chuunin who'd stopped improving their arts along the way tended to get as confused as the civilians about Naruto.

Umino Iruka had been clearly ambivalent, having lost his parents to the attack – but also intelligent enough to take a wait and see attitude, and had never acted unfairly toward the blond, earning their respect.  
"Well you asked for more chuunin to supervise the last survival training before the graduation exam." Sasuke shrugged "And since our usual team-mates are busy with their own missions, we're free."  
"It'll be just like the old times, Iruka-sensei!"  
"Not too much like the old times I hope, I like not having to remove paint stains from my clothes everyday!" their fellow chuunin answered laughingly before pointing out "You know you don't have to call me sensei anymore, right? I mean we're all chuunin!"  
"Speaking of which," Sasuke wondered "why didn't you ever try for the jounin exam?" he eyed his former teacher "I mean you're not one of the paper-pusher that let their training go, you're still fit so you could probably do it..."

"It's possible." Iruka nodded "But I enjoy teaching the genin hopeful."  
"And you wouldn't like teaching some genin?"  
"I'm far from having the skills required to be a jounin-sensei." the other laughed  
"I think you could do it." Naruto contradicted, smiling but his eyes conveying how serious he was  
Sasuke and Naruto entered the academy, greeting Mizuki, Iruka's assistant, politely but with less enthusiasm than the kind teacher – even if he always presented a smiling face to Naruto, both him and Sasuke had always knew it was nothing but a mask, having learned to guess at people true feelings with their body language thanks to the time they spent with the Inuzuka.

Between the four of them, they would be watching over the twenty-seven student of the graduating class during the three days survival exercise, something important for all the students as only those that qualified for a passing grade would be authorized to take the graduation exam in the coming weeks.  
The students, that were the same age as Naruto and Sasuke had of course protested loudly at being graded by them, but the two had been prompt to point that that they had earned their rank. Any remaining protest was of course ignored and no matter how unfair some of the academy still felt the situation to be, they were all more focused on obtaining a passing grade.

"I can see why there's only a third of the students that are accepted by their jounin-sensei..." Naruto mumbled tiredly at the end of the first day, as all four were comparing notes on the students "Most of those brats have no idea about what they're in for once they earn their hitai-ate. On of the girls brought perfume! In a survival exam! And one of the boys tried to fool me with a regular _**bunshin**__!"_  
"Yeah. And I may have to ask my mother to have a talk with Naoki," Sasuke added referring to the lone Uchiha clan member in the group "the brat is acting all high and mighty because of our clan name and some small amount of talent."  
"Well, the Uchiha are still respected as a founding clan of Konoha, no matter how few they are left." Mizuki pointed out

"And that's got nothing to do with a twelve year old academy student. He ought to be afforded some respect when he's proved he's worth something himself rather than brag about his ancestors achievements' as if they were their own." the clan heir answered promptly, making Iruka nod his approval  
"If the problem with civilians is to make them wake up to the realities of being a shinobi, clan kids tend to think themselves better than they really are because of their family name." the chuunin sensei confirmed "Most of the time, the parents themselves correct the problem..."  
"But with the number of orphans in the clan, mother and the other adults are easily swamped..." Sasuke realized "And so they didn't realized Naoki was growing arrogant." he sighed – this was all fun and game at the academy, but once he graduated the boy wouldn't be protected by Konoha's walls anymore, and kekkai genkai holders were more often targeted by other villages or rogue organizations, and arrogance without the skill to support it got you killed

¤.¤.¤

By the end of the second day, it was pretty clear to Naruto and Sasuke that Mizuki was trying hard to get the blond alone discreetly – and so Sasuke arranged for him and Iruka to go on a patrol at the same time. Their fellow chuunin may not have realized the gray-haired shinobi's attitude, but he still knew both his former students well enough that within moments of leaving the camp he was asking "So, what are the two of you plotting?"  
The dark-haired teen smiled, not that surprised the other had caught their discreet hand signals - Iruka may claim he didn't feel good enough to become a jounin, he was a cut above most of the other sensei at the Academy. There was a reason why he was the only one who ever managed to catch Naruto when the blond started on his pranking spree back in the days - even if Naruto's own theory was that the chuunin was himself secretly a prankster, explaining why he always guessed and parried so well the blond's traps.  
"Us, nothing." he answered candidly "Mizuki on the other hand..." he made them circle around, hiding in the trees as the two remaining chuunin were idly talking

"This isn't something I've ever tried, but there is a hidden exam to become jounin." Mizuki was saying "I'm not skilled enough, but I'm sure someone who became chuunin as fast as you could manage it!"  
Naruto plastered a bright, clueless smile on his face "Great! Yeah, I'm sure I could manage, I'm awesome like that! What is it, say, Mizuki-sensei?"  
Iruka's eyes had widened as his assistant had started talking, but Sasuke stopped him from interfering, whispering "Wait, let's give him the rope to hang himself with."  
And Mizuki did take the rope - and with both hands, as he told Naruto that the imaginary secret exam he was talking about was in fact to steal the Forbidden Scroll that held the restricted jutsu deemed to dangerous to be left available in the jutsu library reserved to the village's shinobi. A scroll kept in the hokage's very own office.  
In other words – treason.

Naruto had of course enthusiastically accepted, trusting Sasuke to back him up.  
The Uchiha heir had immediately left to alert the hokage, while Iruka followed Mizuki, who'd told Naruto he'd meet him in the forest at the top of the hokage monument – and instead went to alert the hokage, looking properly panicked about Naruto's intent to steal the scroll. Even without Sasuke having informed him of the events a moment before, the Sarutobi clan head would have known something fishy was going on – as it was, he pretended to believe the chuunin and sent him ahead, telling him he would alert the Anbu.

Iruka, who'd stayed hidden outside of the tower kept on following his fellow teacher, not realizing two Anbu had joined him as he stopped on a high branch to witness the confrontation between Naruto and Mizuki.  
He was ready to step in when the when the gray-haired traitorous chuunin laughed, mocking Naruto for having fallen into his trap, never realizing he was the one being set up.  
"You were the perfect scapegoat for my last act as a Konoha nin!"  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well making you take the fall for the theft, of course! A monster like you should never have been allowed to become a shinobi! This is what convinced me I had to leave this damn village!"  
"Uh, you're one of those, then..." the blond mused, letting his clueless facade drop

The other didn't notice, too caught in his rant "Why do you think everyone despise you? The Kyuubi didn't die all those years ago, ****you're**** the Kyuubi and I'll do what should have been done back then!"  
Naruto was ready to dodge the attack – what he wasn't expecting was Iruka barging in, deflecting the incoming attack and earning for it a large gash under the left eye "You've gone mad Mizuki!"  
"Bah! You more than all should hate him!"  
"And I do hate the Kyuubi! But Naruto isn't the fox, he's a fellow shinobi, one I'm proud to work with!"  
Naruto smiled, happy to realize he hadn't misjudged the chuunin, and surged forward, dropping the traitor to the ground with one fist.

"I never was the fox, I'm it's jailer." Naruto pointed out coldly "And contrarily to you, a loyal shinobi of the Leaf!"  
"Stop acting cool, idiot." Sasuke teased as he dropped from his tree, two familiar Anbu in tow  
"Chuunin Mizuki, you're under arrest and facing charges of treason against Konoha, all your rights as a shinobi of Konoha are hereby revoked."  
A hand chop later, the man was unconscious and taken away. Iruka rubbed his nose "I'm feeling a bit stupid getting worked up."  
"Well he was a colleague for so long it must have been a shock to see him act like that." Naruto pointed out, before smiling "Besides, I was happy that you protected me."

"You didn't need it, though."  
"Its not a question of needing it." Naruto answered seriously "It's that you're the only chuunin who'd have bothered in the whole Academy."  
"Surely not! You're a fellow shinobi of Konoha! We pride ourselves in our team-work above all!"  
"Jounin know better, but there's still quite a few chuunin that only see the fox." Sasuke was the one to contradict him "You're a good man, Iruka-sensei."  
"I told you not to call me sensei!" the other protested, clearly embarrassed, making the two younger chuunin laugh  
"That's a lost cause." Naruto was the one to answer "Kakashi-sensei has all but given up!"

****[Secondary Quest Complete! Survival and Capture...****  
__some time a training exercise can lead to more__  
****Goal complete:****traitor unveiled  
****Goal complete:****traitor captured  
****Goal failed: ****traitor's accomplice found

****Reward******: **+100XP, +500 000 ryo shared **between ******Inventories****]

****[Chuunin Team****** l**evel up!  
**Naruto** is now level **62**_(+1lv)_**/** **Sasuke** is now level **62**_(+1lv)_/ **Iruka** is now level **67**_(+1lv)_]

Since Iruka had lost his assistant, and the school year was nearly over, Naruto and Sasuke had gone on a rotary with the other chuunin of their generation to take a turn assisting their former teacher. While the students had been frustrated at first, they had soon realized the advantage of knowing the assistant teacher, as the chuunin were all easy to relate to, which meant they dared ask more questions, and believed in the answers best.  
On top of that – the fact that different people took their turn meant the student could see how different the specialists were from one other – the front-line fighter's skills far different from the nin or gen specialist, and so on...

Even some of the chuunin that had been rescued along-side Yagami and the others had taken their turn, and by the time the graduation exam came around, the teacher had completed his file to ask permission to continue a rotary of assistants for the next year.  
His file had been approved – when at the end of the jounin test, four rather than the usual three had been accepted by their jounin-sensei.  
The chuunin had also all rekindled a new relation with their former teacher, even inviting him to the week-end training sessions. While Iruka didn't always come, as he took advantage of the week-end to do some the inevitable paper-work being a teacher came with, he still did drop by from time to time, and had quickly proved to his fellow chuunin, and some impressed genin, that one could be a paper chuunin and still take his training seriously.

What was even more impressive was how well-rounded he was, since he strived to teach a bit of everything to his students to prepare them as best as he could to the real world - and didn't feel apt to teach something he didn't know about himself.  
The chuunin was also very kind, and after the third time he'd shown up to a training session with baked goods, Tsume had all but decreed she was adopting him, and had been seen introducing him to various Inuzuka clan girls ever since, to the poor man's embarrassment – and everyone else's amusement.  
Since it was now the holiday break for the academy, the chuunin was seen in the Hokage Tower, where he was helping with the mission assignment.  
"Hi, Iruka-sensei, Hokage-jiji!"

¤.¤.¤

Both men sighed as the never-ending irreverence of the blond he entered the office, and Iruka asked "So, what have you come for today?"  
"We wondered if there were any C-rank available, since Kakashi-sensei isn't available?" Sasuke was the one to answer  
The chuunin leafed through the mission summary, before holding one out to the hokage.  
"Ah yes, this should be perfect." the old man nodded "A C-rank escort mission. The genin of team 8 or 9 are available."  
"Team 8." Naruto was the one to answer  
"Why?"  
"Because we'd lack a support." Sasuke answered "Neji and Lee are both front-line fighters just like Naruto, and I'm no support nin either."

The hokage nodded, satisfied with the answer "Then you have an hour to gather your team for a three to five weeks mission. Naruto, you'll be team leader."  
Both chuunin nodded, Naruto pocketing the mission scroll before they left by the window.  
"They are proud students of Kakashi-san, no doubt about it." Iruka smiled at that, barely refraining from laughing  
The old shinobi behind his heavy desk pinched his nose "The worst is... **I'm** the one who started the tradition to annoy my sensei... If I'd known I'd end up behind this desk I would have refrained!"

This time, the brown-haired chuunin did laugh.  
"Hound."  
An Anbu dropped from the ceiling, not surprising the chuunin since even if he couldn't feel him he knew the hokage was protected at all time "You've heard?"  
The Anbu nodded and answered "I've already alerted Mongoose and Alpha. Raven will be replacing Mongoose in the mean-time."  
"Perfect."  
An hour later, the team, lead by Naruto, was meeting their client – and it took all of the blond will-power not to kill the old drunkard himself and be done with it as the man all but called him a dumb-looking shrimp in the first few minutes, eyes widening as he realize it was the leader of the mission he was talking to.

****[Secondary Quest! Take me home, country road...****  
__the old bridge-builder wants to get home and complete his bridge, but the road is fraught with danger for a lone old man__  
****Reward******:** +5XP per goal, +2PP upon completion]

The for shinobi shared a glance warily as they took the road. Not all missions warranted a quest – and those that did tended to go pear-shaped one way or another...  
On a hand-sign, Kiba and Akamaru fell to the back of the formation, Sasuke and Sakura walking on each side of their client while Naruto was a few steps ahead.  
While all were looking rather relaxed, even without the ****Quest**** putting them on edged they still would have been wary – Tazuna, the old man they were escorting didn't look like a regular drunk, but rather someone that was trying to drown his fears in alcohol.

Since they were traveling at a civilian pace, but with only one person rather than a whole caravan, they should be reaching the south coastline in about a week. Over the next few days, it was increasingly clear that their client was jumpy – the reason why becoming clear as on the fourth day, Naruto spotted a puddle ahead on the road.  
If he took a few seconds longer than Sasuke and Sakura to realize how improbable this was, given that it hadn't rained in days – he, just like Kiba and Akamaru could smell the two very clear human scents, mixed with the smell of sharpening oil and metal.  
Shinobi, rather than bandits - as the _**jutsu**_ to hide in water was at least B-ranked, and not something anyone could learn.  
On a hand-sign, Sakura and Sasuke took defensive position before Tazuna while Kiba and him jumped toward the puddle, all claws out.

Two men jumped out of the water, slashed Kirigakure hitai-ate marking them as missing-nin, shinobi that had abandoned their village. A sturdy chain was flowing between the two, but Kiba and Naruto evaded each on one side.  
Seeing their weapon wasn't effective, the chain was dropped, and each missing-nin continued to fight with a heavily armored clawed gauntlet.  
"Tchh. I'll show you what true claws are." Kiba snorted, dropping on all four before calling _"__**Tsuuga**__!"  
_The speed at which he moved was too fast, and the first of the two missing-nin was dropped to the ground before he could even dodge, the Inuzuka swiftly starting to tie him up with some steel-wire while Naruto pushed the other in a large fireball, courtesy of Sasuke's_**"Katon: Goukyaku no jutsu!".**_

While Sasuke was finishing to tie the two missing-nin, Sakura was fussing over Kiba, that had been grazed by the poisoned claws – removing the poison with the green-glow of a healing jutsu.  
Meanwhile, Naruto was leafing through a small book, while eyeing Tazuna "Ah, here they are... So, Tazuna-san, mind telling us why you're having chuunin missing-nin after you? The Demon Brothers have 60 000 ryo of bounty of their head between the two of them..." the blond smiled brightly – yet somewhat predatorily, fangs pointing out of his mouth, the time spent with the Inuzuka clearly showing "After all, I thought you were only afraid of the high-road bandits?"  
"They're after me..." the other conceded with a sigh

"And you knew it, yet lied on your mission application?" Naruto asked  
"I didn't have the money for a B-rank mission!" the other answered "And the people back home are really counting on me!"  
"Why is a bridge so important?" Kiba wondered  
"It's because it could save our country." Tazuna answered sedately "Wave has all but been taken hostage by Gato, a remorseless businessman. He controls all the traffic in the port, has his thugs patrolling around the village..."  
"You should have told this in Konoha, we could have negotiated something." Naruto answered

As it was – they were in their own right if they dropped the mission, but it would also but a mar on Konoha's records, as the way civilians viewed their Hidden Village was very important. Naruto eyed his team – while Sakura and Kiba were still genin, both were chuunin skill-wise, which meant that between the four of them they should be able to easily manage a B-rank mission.  
"We're still doing this mission." he told the bridge-builder, making him cheer loudly "But no more hiding anything, alright?"  
"Alright." the other promised  
"Sasuke..."  
"I've put the standard prisoner-seal on the two of them, and the usual honing-sign, the patrol shouldn't take more than half a day to arrive."

Seeing the clueless look Kiba and Sakura were giving them, the blond explained, not loud enough for the client to actually hear "Starting from chuunin, you're supposed to know how to call the nearest patrol to pick up prisoners. It means we had to learn the standard patrol routes and always have a set of seals for prisoners."  
"And if you don't have the seals?" Sakura asked  
"You interrogate the prisoner in situ and execute them." Sasuke answered, making both pale – interrogation wasn't something most genin ever had to think about "But as long as you've got an Uzumaki under hand, you won't have to worry about that." he reassured them

The patrol as it was was already nearby, so they only had to wait for an hour before the four chuunin arrived and took charge of the two prisoner.  
"That'll be a nice bonus on your mission pay-check." one of them noted before they left "Lucky!" a smile "And a good bonus for us, double-lucky!"  
Naruto and Sasuke laughed and nodded at the comment – since they were essential in the delivery of prisoners, while they didn't touch the head bounty they still had a bonus on their patrol paycheck whenever they dragged back a prisoner to Konoha.  
After that, the walk to Nami no Kuni was calm enough, a fellow countryman volunteering to make them cross-over the water in the early morning mist – it was once on the island that things took a turn for the worse.

¤.¤.¤

Kiba and Naruto heard the sound a second before the weapon came toward them "Get down!"  
The Inuzuka took his team-mate with him, Sasuke dragged their client along while Naruto jumped back, avoiding the massive blade that had nearly cleaved them all in two pieces.  
"Not bad for brats."  
On the massive blade's handle, a man had appeared – torso naked, and face half-hidden under training bandage, what really stood out was the slashed Kiri hitai-ate worn side-way on his head

Naruto and Sasuke shared a worried glance.  
"But I'm here for the old-man you're protecting."  
Naruto smirked, calling four clones with a cross hand-sign and sending them toward Tazuna "I'm afraid I can't let you do that."  
The four blond promptly positioned themselves around their client, before each slamming a kunai with a tag on it to the ground _**"Fuuin: Youten kekai!"**__. _The missing-nin twitched as a barrier rose around Tazuna, but shrugged "Bah, you'll run out of chakra eventually brat!"

"Not before we get rid of you!" Sasuke was the one to answer, launching a volley of kunai toward the other  
"This is Momochi Zabuza," a clone was telling to Sakura and Kiba, to whom he'd signaled to stand back "He's a former jounin of Kirigakure."  
"You're well informed, boy." said missing-nin commended while swinging his sword toward them  
The clone and two genin dodged, Kiba announcing "That's a _**Mizu Bunshin!**__"_  
The blond clone nodded, sending a kunai with an exploding tag toward the clone, who deflected it easily – at the same time as Kiba called _"__**Gatsuuga**__!"  
_Two drilling form rushed toward the clone, who only managed to avoid them by dodging into Sakura's own attack, a flurry of senbon pinning him like a cushion and making the edges of it blur for a moment – he would only take another one hit before dispelling.

Sensing that, the clone jumped back, calling _**"Kirigakure no jutsu!"**__.  
_A heavy mantle of mist rolled on the clearing, and Kiba dropped back toward Sakura, knowing the girl didn't have his own advantage of enhanced senses to fight in the low-visibility area.  
Naruto's clone was a second too slow, and dispelled on Sakura's other side – but it had given enough time for Kiba to pin-point where the mizu bunshin was coming from, and nail him with a _**"Tsuuga!"**_. The clone dispelled with a splash of water, the mist disappearing along with it to reveal Naruto and Sasuke still fighting against the real one a few meters ahead.

While the others were taking care of the **mizu** **bunshin**, Naruto and Sasuke had been having more trouble with the original, who was easily as skilled as Ayame or most jounin – and both were suddenly far more thankful for the numerous sparing cessions against their chuunin and jounin friends.  
Despite the impressive size of his blade, the missing-nin wielded as easily as if it was a simple ninjato, using the long handle as a support point to launch himself toward Naruto.  
The blond didn't waste a moment, both dodging and parrying, while Sasuke took the opportunity to sent a fireball at Zabuza's back.

The man jumped to avoid the _**katon**_ **jutsu**, and Naruto had to get out of the way too.  
The missing-nin had dodge on the nearby water body, and was now going through a series of hand-seals they'd only seen a few times.  
"If we get hit by this it's as good as over!" Sasuke urged  
"Yes, but we've got a counter!"  
"We've never managed this combination attack!"  
"Well now's the time to succeed!" Naruto answered urgently as both started to go through hand-seals of their own

They completed their own jutsu just as Zabuza called _**"Suiton: Suiryuudan no Jutsu!"**_making a large water dragon rush toward them, stopped only by their own jutsu _**"Combination! Shakuton: Dairyuudan!"**__, _a combination of _**fuuton**_ **air** bullet and _**katon**_ **dragon** **bullet** jutsu they'd been working on.  
Zabuza hadn't expected his technique to be parried by two chuunin – but the man wasn't a jounin for nothing, and hadn't let the surprise stop him, instead jumping right behind his attack, nabbing Naruto with a fist in the stomach and Sasuke with a foot in the same area.  
"Bah! You should quit when you're alive, kids!" he taunted "You don't stand a chance against me!"  
"Alone maybe." Naruto agreed, getting up with a wince "But we're Konoha nin, we're never alone!"

"Bah! You're nothing but brats playing shinobi! I had already been bathed in blood when I was your age!"  
"Tchh. So what?" Sasuke retorted "You think you're the first shinobi who had to kill to survive?"  
"Who talked about killing to survive! I did it because it was fun!"  
"Then you're not a shinobi." Naruto answered, seeing Sasuke ready to jump back in the fight "You're a beast to be put down, and we'll take care of it!"  
With that, the blood was rushing ahead, dodging low under the gigantic blade and slamming a chakra powered fist in the missing-nin, pushing him right into Sasuke's _**"Raiton: jinraisen!"**_.  
The lightning arrow caught the missing-nin in the back – but it was a senbon that stopped his heart a second later.

¤.¤.¤

The four Konoha nin kept on their guard as a shinobi wearing an Anbu mask with the symbol of Kirigakure on it dropped from a nearby tree.  
"Thanks from taking care of him, I'd been hunting him for months."  
"Eh?" was Kiba's wary answer  
"That's a Kirigakure hunter-nin." Sasuke was the one to answer him "An Anbu squad specializing in hunting missing-nin."  
Neither him nor Naruto made a way to stop the lean shinobi to drop to the ground, taking the inert Zabuza with him.  
"That's fishy!" Kiba protested as they headed toward Tazuna's house "If he was here all along, why hide his scent? And why not help?"  
"Not to mention why using a weapon as finicky as senbon..." Sakura mused, just as unsettled as her team-mate  
"You're right." Naruto agreed

"And the fact the man left with the body all but confirmed it." Sasuke added  
"Eh?"  
"Hunter-nin only take the head as proof of their mission success, they dispose of the body in situ." the Uchiha heir explained "Zabuza is probably alive."  
"Then... Why did we let them leave?"  
"Because they had the upper hand."  
"What? They were two, one of them unconscious! We're four!"

"For one, our priority was to protect Tazuna." Sasuke answered "And the fact is, we knew nothing about that newcomer, that managed to stay hidden during so long and hadn't fought yet while we're all tired..."  
"Oh." Sakura realized "If the fake hunter-nin had attacked us we would have been toasted, wouldn't we?"  
"Yeah. If it was only Zabuza, it was difficult but manageable." Sasuke agreed "But two of them? One of them still fresh and with unknown abilities while we'd all already fought and knowing nothing of his fighting abilities? It wasn't worth it."  
"But they'll be back before the end of the mission, that's for sure." Naruto completed "Only this time, we'll be ready for them."  
The two genin nodded, eyes serious.

The next few days, they spent alternating between training on the bridge's site and near the house, with a chuunin and genin always in one of the two places in case Gato decided to sent more than just the two missing-nin.  
On the evening, since all four were assembled near the house, they worked on combination jutsu, and Naruto was spending ever free moment he had writing seals for his team – not only the barrier he'd used to protect Tazuna, but also two sets of prisoner-seals for everyone, some explosive tags, some gravity seals to slow down an opponent, and so on.  
The four of them also had realized that as dramatic as he sometimes acted – Tazuna hadn't lied about how bad the situation was for Nami no Kuni, that had as good as been taken hostage by Gato Corporation; going as far as permanently silencing those that dared voice their opposition.

Tazuna's own family had paid the price for this – Kaiza, a man that had come to the small village looking for work, getting all but adopted in their family after saving the old bridge-builder's grand-son. The little boy, Inari, had made the man his role model – and indeed, Kaiza had given a new life to the whole city, being all but unofficially considered it's leader until Gato arrived.  
Of course, someone like Kaiza hadn't stayed silent as the ruthless corporation took over the country – an he'd paid for it with his life.  
Tsunami, Inari's mother, had been rather shocked by the rather cold reaction of both Sasuke and Naruto to her child's defeatist attitude...

"Naruto's an orphan, and reviled by most of the civilian in Konoha for something he didn't choose and can't change. And Sasuke has seen his father murdered under his eyes the same night he lost most of his clan. Without the Inuzuka clan, they probably would have ended up either despairing or going mad." Sakura explained in a low voice while the two chuunin were out of the house, checking the alarm seals Naruto had put up "But never did they gave up, put their weapons down and let the world win." she added, admiration equal for both boys in her voice as she said this "Instead, they struggled again and again, and Naruto found a family in the Inuzuka, while Sasuke realized even if the dead couldn't be replaced, he could forge new bonds." a smile "Those two are really strong."  
"And seeing a brat going on about fatality, when it's all they reject." Kiba had come from the sitting room to help drying the plates "Of course they won't go easy on Inari. Indulging the boy won't make him grow up you know, it'll only make him believe he's right." the brash boy shrugged "At least, that's how we raise pups in the Inuzuka clan!"

"The Inuzuka has a different way of acting than civilians." Sakura nodded, understanding how odd it could seem to Tsunami "But their way works." a smile "After all, they even manage to make a fan-girl into a true kunoichi!"  
"I'm pretty sure you have more chances interesting Sasuke as a competent kunoichi than a fan-girl anyway!" Kiba laughed, avoiding the water splashing his way  
"Kiba! I do not have a crush on Sasuke!" she protested  
"Eh?" the surprise answer came from two direction, making Sakura blush as she realized Naruto and Sasuke were back too  
"What?" It's true!" she commented at Naruto's and Kiba's stunned expressions, and Sasuke's raised eyebrow "I won't deny I had a crush..."  
"Yeah you couldn't anyway." this time, Kiba didn't dodge the slap on the back on his head sending him to the ground  
"But I grew out of it. Ren-sensei reminded me of why I wanted to be a kunoichi after all. I'll find someone when I'm meant to, but I won't waste my time pinning on someone who's a good friend but clearly not interested in anything more!"

"Wow." Naruto whispered, admiration clear in his eyes – before he spoiled it by adding "Maybe Yami-chan was right and dropping all the fan-girl in a dangerous area and have them realize no one but themselves could save them, will make them all grow up."  
"Yeah probably." Kiba nodded as he was getting up "Those that survive that is!" he added with a barking laugh "Sakura still had some skills she just had to hone her physical abilities! Some fan-girls are so utterly useless they'd die in a day!"  
Natsumi laughed at the heated debate – she had been rather wary about having four shinobi in her house, but was coming to realize that as dangerous and so very different from civilians as they were, they were still human beings with their own feelings and problems...

¤.¤.¤

It was a week later that Zabuza made his come-back.  
Sasuke and Sakura, whose turn it was to guard Zabuza and his bridge shared a glance, eyes serious – they would have to hold out until Naruto and Kiba arrived.  
A message was sent on the vocal chat of the team – Kiba answering that they were somewhat busy too, since as they feared, some thugs had been sent to capture Tsunami and Inari.  
Of course, since those weren't missing-nin, it was only a question of minutes – but minutes in a fight against a missing-nin as skilled as Zabuza could be very long...

Sasuke's sharingan flared to life, two tomoes in each eyes, while Sakura stood back, kunai in hands and ready to protect Tazuna, not putting the fuuin barrier up just yet as it would be too draining on her chakra reserved, that even if they had grown still couldn't be compared with the Uchiha's – not to mention Naruto of course, whose chakra reserve were already higher than most jounin.  
In front of them, two silhouette were barely visible in the mist covering the bridge, and several bodies strewn around the area – clearly, when Zabuza told he killed for the fun of it, he wasn't lying.

The pinkette sent a volley of senbon toward the shinobi whose face was still hidden, the other easily evading the attack "Trying to get me with my own favored weapon isn't very smart." he commented not unkindly  
Sakura smiled, but didn't answer – there was a reason she fought with senbon after all.  
The other answered by coming at her, kunai in hand – but while she may not be the taijutsu specialist Kiba was, she still trained with quite a lot of closed-ranged fighters, and dodging before she could even see a hit coming was second nature by now.  
"Oh. I had by doubts about it, given the hair style and color, but looks like you won't be too bored, eh Haku?" Zabuza commented from his own engagement with Sasuke  
"Indeed, Zabuza-sama." the masked shinobi answered

"Oh, I do know my hair make people underestimate me." Sakura answered proudly – it had been something she'd realized early on in her genin days after all  
But not only Ayame and Yagami, whom she admired, but also all of the Inuzuka tended to have long hair – because of their grooming habits. And so she'd made the decision not to cut them, despite the disadvantage they put her at – resolving instead to grow strong enough to never have to cut them.  
Ino, who still had long hair too, even if it was simply by personal vanity, had made the choice to tie them up – Sakura didn't.  
And while she hadn't been quite up to par to earn a promotion during the chuunin exam – this had been months ago, and she'd grown since then...  
"But that's the thing..." the smile the pink-haired girl gave the masked missing-nin was worthy of an Inuzuka, only the fangs missing "Those hair will only make your defeat stings worst!"  
There was something quite vexing about being defeated by a girl with long pink hair apparently - who knew some shinobi where so easily vexed?

As if on cue, the shinobi stumbled – something so slight it was nearly invisible, but they were all skilled enough to see it.  
"Enjoying my senbon sting, are you?"  
The other realized "The first wave of senbon was just for at least one to hit in the second wave... The emplacement wasn't the aim."  
"Indeed." Sakura nodded "Even if I do know the correct points to hit, it's not my main aim contrarily to you."  
"But with such a small dose, it has to be either a very potent poison, which it isn't, since I'm alive... or something barely worth noticing."  
"Oh, I admit it won't kill you, and isn't that potent..." Sakura nodded, jumping toward him, kunai in hand and chakra to enhance her speed "But as long as it slows you down..."

This time, the one Zabuza had called Haku earned a gash in the forearm in their engagement, making Zabuza laugh wildly "Oh, the little flower has thorns! You do realized what you'll have to do, eh?"  
"Of course Zabuza-sama."  
The masked shinobi jumped back, chakra gathering around him. Sakura shuddered at the familiar icy feeling of _**hyouton**_ chakra being used "Oh, you're a Yuki, then?" she realized as frozen mirrors rose around her, the missing-nin seeming to blend in one of them  
"I didn't expect you to know about my name." the mirror reflection mused  
"Well of course, after all... my third team-mate may not be here right now..."  
Sakura jumped out of the way, realizing she would now be the one on the defensive – but of course she had an advantage of Haku the other still hadn't noticed.  
"She's a Yuki nevertheless!"

"Impossible!" Haku protested "We've all be hunted down!"  
"Yet you're alive." Sakura pointed out, getting out of the way of a second wave of shuriken, before sending uselessly a kunai of her own "Did you really think you were the only one to survive?"  
It was true - even if Ayame herself was born in a lab, her mother had been one of those who'd managed to escape the purge - and apparently quite a few bloodline bearer had managed to hide themselves away once Kirigakure had started it's purges.

Then, Haku was thrown out of a mirror sharp claws tearing his mask apart "Sorry for the delay, Sakura-chan!"  
"Oh don't worry, I didn't even miss you!" the girl teased "Akamaru on the other hand..." the dog let a smug bark  
"Still, a Yuki, what were the odds?" Kiba mused "Say, what about we try this tactic we wanted to try on Ayame-chan on our next spar?"  
"Already on it!" Sakura answered happily – after all, the Yuki had been right, and the poison she'd hit him with wasn't enough to really weaken him as much as he seemed to be

But the two waves of senbon hadn't been only to drop the poison in his bloodstream – but also to weave a simple _**genjutsu**_ that completed said poison's effect, making the other think he was far more affected than he truly was.  
"Well then..." the feral boy smirked, dropping on all four and calling "Akamaru! _**Juujin Bunshin!**__"_ with a bark and a spike of chakra the dog obeyed, small canine form replaced by two Inuzuka shinobi_**"Katon: Gatsuuga!"**_  
The following attack was like a fire storm dancing around Sakura, who stayed calm, looking for the moment Haku would be forced out of his mirrors and trusting her team-mates not to touch her but only the mirrors around – which they did, hours of training paying off.  
Soon, a first crack appeared on one of the mirror.

The icy surface may strong enough to resist a regular _**katon**_ – right now there was not only fire chakra but also the pure brute force of the Inuzuka clan jutsu combining with it. Sakura had speculated that since the ice was a secondary, only something with the same kind of strength could damage it – not a single element, but at least two elements.  
Which was why, as the cracks started to appear, flimsy and clearly not enough yet, she had been at the ready_**"Doton: doryuuha!"**_**.** She winced as the bridge shuddered under the hand she'd slammed to the ground, but the jutsu completed what Kiba had already started, the mirrors crumbling into icy shards.  
She rushed, weaving around Kiba's attack and stabbing a kunai in their opponent's hand's before he could move, Kiba stopping his attack and jumping on the downed enemy, as Akamaru grasped the other hand in his admittedly small jaws.

"Eh, you've won, finish me then." Haku commented, resigned to his fate  
"Why would we?"  
"That's how the game's played!" Haku pointed out "I've lost, I've no more worth for my master, why would I need to live when I'm now a discarded tool?"  
"Clearly, there's something wrong with you." Sakura mumbled "You're a human being boy, not a property. Sure we're all shinobi, but it doesn't mean we're nothing but tool, this kind of mentality is gone."  
"Beside, while killing people in a fight can be unavoidable... We've won, why would we kill you?"  
"I'm your enemy!"

¤.¤.¤

"You never had any killing intent." Sakura contradicted calmly "You can put it on the account of us Konoha nin being too kind, people like to call us tree- huggers for a reason after all." she pointed out "But still... We won, as soon as we've taken care of Gato, you won't be an enemy anymore..."  
"Beside, how could we kill the first living relative of Ayame-chan we've ever found?" Kiba added with a loud laugh  
"Your team-mate... Is really a Yuki?" Haku whispered, wonder in his eyes - he'd taught it just a feint to distract him during their fight  
"Half of one at least." Sakura nodded "Her birth mother was one, but she died a long time ago, and Ayame has been living in Konoha for nearly five years now." the girl's eyes darkened, even if Haku couldn't see it from his position on the ground "I can't imagine what went wrong in the Mizukage's head when he started the slaughtering of all bloodline holders in Mizu no Kuni, starting with his own shinobi, but all clans are respected in Konoha."

Sasuke had spent the first minutes of his fight on the defensive.  
While he was probably as fast as Zabuza, the man abused chakra enhancement, making him far faster, and between that had his monstrous strength, the Uchiha's sharingan was all that allowed him to avoid finishing as minced-meat before their reinforcement had even arrived.  
Thankfully the missing-nin was so sure of his superiority he under-estimated the chuunin, wasting some of his attention on watching Haku and Sakura's own fight – even if Sasuke had to admit he himself was impressed.

He knew of course that the girl had improved, they spent most of their weekends training together – but they hadn't shared that much missions since Naruto and him had been promoted, so he hadn't realized just how much she'd grown. Truth be told Sakura was now a chuunin in all but title.  
Still, he'd managed to held out for the few minutes it took for Kiba and Naruto to arrive – and from then on, the game was played differently.  
"Missed me, dear?"  
"In your wishes, idiot!"  
Both chuunin fell in their rhythm with the ease of long time partners, exchanging blows and jutsu's with Zabuza just like they had a few days before.  
"I've seen all you can do boys, time to die!" Zabuza proclaimed after a moment _**"Kirigakure no Jutsu!"**_

Of course, both had guessed the missing-nin would resort to his signature jutsu – the man was well-known for his silent assassinations.  
He hadn't fought them long enough the previous time to realize that it wasn't only the Inuzuka who had enhanced senses.  
Sasuke fell back to back with Naruto.  
"Ready, idiot?"  
"Shut up and hurry up!"  
Chakra flared.  
_**"Combination! Raiton: Adamantine Chains!"**_

Three large golden chains that appeared, flaring about the two of them like wild tails were imbued in the Uchiha's lightning chakra, leaving wild sparkling arcs around them in the mist – and honing without any problem on the jounin hidden there thanks to Naruto's ears and nose.  
The jounin let out a pained shout, but managed to dodge out of the chains way thanks to his blade, evading toward them rather that out of the chains reach as he'd guessed that it was more difficult for Naruto to control the technique when he got nearer to them.  
The large blade now to big for the up and close fight, he put it away, a kunai in hand and letting the clearly useless mist fall.  
"Seals, and now those chains... Brat, who are you?" Zabuza wondered

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto, son of Uzumaki Kushina, heir to a country your people destroyed!" the blond answered back, rushing with wind chakra enhancing his claws, easily slicing through the kunai the other tried to parry with  
"Ah, should've known." the missing-nin mused as blood spurted from the large gash he'd earned on his forearm while protecting himself from the claws "you're not a red-head but you sure are annoying enough to be one!"  
"What would you know about it?" Naruto wondered "After all, your village already had destroyed us by the time you were born?"

"Not by that much." Zabuza corrected as he dodged around Sasuke's fireball and struck Naruto, leaving a bleeding wound of his own "There were a few prisoners, you know. Some even had kids..." a shrug, and he dodged under a wind blade "Some of those kids even became Mizu nin."  
"They must be dead by now, then." Naruto commented somberly - after all, the Uzumaki were bloodline holders too  
"Not all of them." the missing-nin corrected "Why do you think I became a missing-nin?"  
"Because you're mad?"  
"Mad?" the jounin laughed and send Sasuke flying a few meters away, sacrificing his left hand in the exchange as he got nabbed by a raiton jutsu "Maybe, but not as mad as the guy who decided to butcher all of those loyal shinobi simply because they had a fucking bloodline!"

With a call of _**"Kage Bunshin!"**_several clones appeared around them – and the following _**"Fuuton: Reppuushou!"**_ couldn't be completely avoided by the missing-nin.  
Sasuke jumped forward, wire steel in hand, and Naruto sighed "Enemies shouldn't be likable, Zabuza."  
"Likable?" the other laughed "You Konoha nin really are tree-huggers!"  
"Yeah, we are less ruthless than others." Naruto agreed "It doesn't prevent us from being the oldest, and most powerful hidden village, so there maybe something to it." he pointed out, making Sasuke snort as he finished to tie up the jounin - not that he disagreed, it was just that all the foreign shinobi Naruto had pointed this out to always shared the same look of surprise  
Was it really that difficult to believe violence wasn't _always_ the solution?

Soon, they'd taken both prisoners to the beginning of the bridge, and Sakura was profusely apologizing for her part in the damages done, making Tazuna laugh "Girly, the damages you all made to my bridge can be repaired, whereas the life lost can't. You all saved us today. Thank you."  
Some villagers had arrived then, all stirred up by Inari, who'd finally found his courage when saved by Naruto and Kiba.  
"Well, there's no more fight to be have," Naruto pointed out with a smile "But how about we all finish this bridge?"  
"but what about Gato?" a villager wondered

"What about him?"  
The villagers all jumped in fright as two silhouette appeared seemingly out of nowhere, a wad of papers thrown toward Tazuna who caught it in surprise "This..." he started to look thorough the first few pages "This is the property deed for the harbor!"  
"That it is." Kagami nodded "We've seized most of Gato's assets to pay for an A-rank protection mission and an A-rank assassination mission, but all that is left is here." a smile "It's still more than enough to finish this bridge, and start negotiating proper business deals in the harbor."  
Yagami teased "I guess that makes you the Daimyo of Nami no Kuni."  
The affirmation made all the villagers laugh, while the shinobi greeted them enthusiastically.

¤.¤.¤

"Yami-chan! I knew you could make everything works out!"  
"And what am I?" Kagami pouted "Chopped liver?"  
"Nah, if you were Akamaru wouldn't leave you alone." Kiba contradicted with a laugh  
"Still," Yagami eyed the two tied-up shinobi "Two jounin level prisoners, you did well."  
"What's going to happen to them Yami-chan?" Sakura asked "I mean... That boy, he's a Yuki! And he didn't have any killing intent!"  
"Haku always was too kind for a shinobi." Zabuza agreed, surprising them "But there's nothing to do about him, he's not even a real shinobi."  
"Zabuza-sama!"  
The Konoha nin shared a glance, suddenly realizing what the missing-nin was doing.  
"True, he's not in the bingo book." Sasuke nodded

"And he was just manipulated by a missing-nin, so he can't really be held accountable." Naruto added, easily remembering how they'd explained the situation about Itachi to the village  
Haku was looking at the shinobi around him, not really understanding what was going on.  
"Then if he's a civilian..." Kagami eyed him "He doesn't look that old, so he can be put as a ward of his clan, and if his clan head thinks he's ready for it, he can apply to be a shinobi eventually..."  
Zabuza snorted, both happy and stunned his attempt had both been so easily understood, and accepted.  
"You really are a band of tree-huggers, eh?"  
"As for you..." Kagami eyed him "Well, I guess we can bargain the return of one of the seven sword with Kirigakure, but since we have no current agreement past the regular peace one, we are under no obligation to sent you back to Kirigakure, so I'm afraid you're now a prisoner of the Leaf."

This time, Haku did realized what they were doing – after all, by refusing to exchange him for his bounty, and instead keeping them as their prisoner, the Konoha nin were all but saving Zabuza's life.  
"You may not have heard," Yagami mused "But we're trying new sentences for prisoners deemed redeemable." she was ostensibly talking to the two genin "This way, we waste less space in our prisons. If a clan vouch for a prisoner and a Yamanaka agrees, he'll be released in that clan's custody. First with chakra-seal, then if everything goes right, and after another visit with a Yamanaka mind-healer, with only surprise supervision from time to time." a shrug "Of course they can't be reintegrated as jounin, but some responsibilities up to chuunin are unlocked with further surveillance and random checks from a Yamanaka."  
The missing-nin opened his mouth, and Yagami smiled sweetly "If you call us tree-huggers one more time, I'll ensure that you have a few missing teeth until a medic-nin can regrow them!"

"I can..." Sakura started  
"In Konoha." the white haired completed  
"Is she an Uzumaki too?" Zabuza asked in a low tone to Sasuke  
"She is." the Uchiha confirmed "Uh. You weren't lying, you must really have known a few of them."  
"You can't miss the temper..."

"And she's the calm one..." Sasuke commiserated with the tall missing-nin  
After that, Yagami and Kagami had stayed with the squad until the bridge was completed, all the villagers, but the shinobi too helping, which made the work go much faster than expected. When, less than a week alter, the six shinobi and their two prisoners were ready to head back to Konoha, they left behind a village already very different – and as Tazuna eyed them leaving, a smiling grand-son by his smile, he suggested "Well, what do you think about the Great Tree bridge?"  
"Huh? Why?"  
"Because that's what you get when you put water and leaves together." the new Daimyo commented easily "And I hope our alliance with Konoha lasts a long time."

****[Secondary Quest Complete! Take me home, country road...****  
__the old bridge-builder wants to get home and complete his bridge, but the road is fraught with danger for a lone old man__  
****Goal complete:**** missing-nin captured **(4/4)**  
****Goal complete:****protect Tazuna  
****Goal complete:****stop Gato  
****Goal complete: ****bridge complete  
****Bonus goal complete:**** help Inari believe in himself and heroes  
****Hidden goal complete:**** Gato's money obtained for Konoha  
****Hidden goal failed:**** awaken the Kyuubi  
****Hidden goal complete:****bring a new clan-member to Ayame  
****Bonus goal complete: ******f**ormal alliance between Konoha and Nami no Kuni negotiated  
****Reward******:** +20 XP, +2 Perk Points, + 750 000 ryo shared between ****Inventories******  
******Bonus Reward:**** +20 XP, +1 Inheritance Skill Book**  
******Hidden Reward******: **+40 XP, +3 Perk Points]

**[******Team**** level up!  
**Naruto** is now level **64**_(+1lv)_**/** **Sasuke** is now level **64**_(+1lv)_/ **Sakura** is now level **58**_(+1lv)/ _**Kiba** is now level **59**_(+1lv_]

Naruto groaned as he saw the quest update as they reached Konoha – he couldn't believe he'd missed an opportunity to awaken the fox when he'd been trying to reach him for years!  
"That guy isn't a heavy sleeper, he's a fucking rock..." the blond grumbled in a rather uncharacteristic show of bad temper, making Zabuza and Haku share a nonplussed glance while the Konoha shinobi laughed  
With that, they headed to the hokage tower.  
"Team Uzumaki reporting from mission."  
"Team Uchiha reporting from mission."  
Naruto and Kagami announced in unison, making Hiruzen groan as he eyed the two unexpected addition to the group "Why do I have a feeling I'll have a headache by the end of this?" the old hokage mumbled tiredly, before calling to his secretary "Please redirect all incoming team under A-rank toward the chuunin, and make the other wait unless it's urgent."

¤.¤.¤

"Of course hokage-sama."  
With that he closed the door, asking "So, do I need security seals?"  
"It isn't that bad." Kagami reassured him with an amused smile  
With that, Naruto proceeded to hand his report in, verbally going through the highlights of the mission, Yagami and Kagami adding their own bit at the end. The leader nodded – while negotiating the return of the legendary sword to Kirigakure without the swordsman was going to be a headache, it was the usual lot of a kage – and given the rather cold relationship between their two villages, he didn't mind going the extra mile to save the missing-nin; after all he didn't approve of the current policy of Kirigakure anymore than anyone else in the room, and even the village - Konoha did take some pride in it's clans after all.

Of course, a team would be put on the sword to see if they could manage to decipher the hefty seal work on it, as it was one of seven unique weapons owned by Mizu no Kuni – and while they couldn't afford to keep it as it would end up in war, the other hidden village couldn't prevent them from studying it for as long as they had it in their hands, as long as they didn't damage it.  
"I'll approve Yuki Haku's integration in the Yuki clan pending for approval by a Yamanaka, and will release Momochi Zabuza to clan head Yuki Ayame providing a Yamanaka approval, and chakra-seals." he nodded, calling for his secretary to convoke Inoichi, the Yamanaka clan head and without a doubt the best at his clan's mind-reading arts

Half an hour and two mind-walk later, Inoichi was concluding "While they without surprise don't have loyalty for Konoha itself, neither has any ill intent against the village or it's population, both civilian and shinobi. Yuki Haku is curious to meet some family, and Momochi Zabuza has no intention of jeopardizing his ward's situation in the village."  
The missing-nin grumbled at having his feelings so clearly expressed, but didn't deny it, earning an adoring and thankful look from the young boy he'd taken in years ago, the boy truly not having realized the grouchy jounin did care about him beneath his rough exterior.  
"Given that Ayame lives in the Inuzuka compound, there is no need for any additional watch, the clan members won't let anything happens in their compound." Inoichi forged on "But maybe start thinking about making your own house in the compound or nearby?" he suggested, more at Yagami this time

"Because If you keep on collecting stray's, Tsume's house soon won't be enough to house everyone!" he laughed, having seen a few times the puppy-piles of shinobi of all ages sleeping in the matriarch den "I doubt she'll ever ask you to move out, she does like having people around, but mathematically speaking you'll run out of space in the den sometimes..."  
Kiba, that had looked ready to protest closed his mouth at the second part of the comment.  
"We'll think about it." Yagami promised "The question has already been touched with Tsume-san." she added, surprising all but Kagami  
"Alright," the hokage concluded "Since Ayame is still out in mission with Inari, Hinata and Isao, Yagami, you'll be in charge in the mean-time."  
"Of course, hokage-sama."

"You know, when they talked about clan compound, I had somehow expected people of said clan living inside, not brats from nearly every clan!" Zabuza commented as he realized how many people seemed to have all but permanently invaded the Inuzuka Prime Alpha's den  
"Bah, that's good for the stuck up clans like the Hyuuga or the Uchiha!" Tsume barked with a wink "No offense, Sasuke, Kagami!"  
"We're not like that anymore." Sasuke felt himself obligated to point out  
"Yeah you're less stuck up than before." the kunoichi had to agree "Ah! I know, the Kurama! There's a clan with barely a few members left yet still acting as if they'd created Konoha themselves!" she laughed

It was Hana, her daughter and Kiba's sister that added "We don't really have anything to hide. We're not ashamed of our way of living and the clan jutsu needs our abilities to be done... Not that we'd really mind if an ally managed one without our bloodline..." she explained "All someone could learn that isn't widely known is our clan history, and that's not something we hide either, it's just that most people don't care."  
"I don't think they realize how much you remember about the clans origin." Sakura pointed out, amused "Otherwise they'd be more interested."  
"Yeah, I hadn't realized even the hokage didn't know anymore where the bloodlines come from." Tsume admitted "But now that we know, I've started talking a bit more about it with the other clan head." a shrug "Those I see regularly at least."  
Zabuza and Haku had been rather surprised about the clan easy way of life – and when Ayame came back from her missions a few days later, she and the effeminate boy got along immediately.

"You know..." Kakashi told his Anbu partner as the two Yuki were talking and sparring lightly on the training ground "I've always blamed you for corrupting Ayame-chan, but seeing Haku, I'm wondering if it's not the character of all Yuki that's like that..."  
"You mean a sweat facade and terrifying smile?" Zabuza answered from his own place on a nearby tree trunk "Yeah, all the Yuki I met before the bloodline purges were like that. A bunch of girly looking, ultra proper shinobi, able to skewer you with a smile if you did something they didn't appreciate. Like forgetting to remove your shoes before entering their house, or something equally as horrifying for them... Like threatening their family..."  
The jounin would have answered the rather outrageous statement, but a hawk call was called.  
"Uh,"Tsume mused "This time again, eh?"  
"I hope you've prepared your pups well," Yagami winked "I've helped with the organization!"

Ren sighed.  
"There's going to be an unbelievable number of disqualifications, eh?"  
"What? I'll have you know I'm very professional, if they're ready to be chuunin, they won't fail my task."  
"I've seen jounin fail the training exercises you set on the chuunin." Kagami pointed out  
"It's not my fault if they slack in their training!"  
"Anyway," Hinata asked the genin "How are you splitting up for the team part of the exam?"  
"We're teaming up with Lee," Kiba answered "while Ino and Shino will pair up with Neji and Chouji and Tenten with Fuki."

"Fuki... Wasn't she one of Ami's goon at the academy?" Hinata mused – as shy as she'd been, she didn't have a lot of memories about their classmates  
"Yeah." Sakura nodded "She did graduate this year, as did Ami and Kasumi." a sigh "The fact Sasuke and Naruto took over as assistant made them double their effort to graduate this year, and they did... But they hadn't had the wake up call I had..."  
"What happened?"  
"They got unlucky." Yagami sighed, having been part of the rescue mission "Fuki and Kasumi were in team 11, their jounin-sensei was still green so he didn't realize the bandit leader was a chuunin missing-nin until the man had gotten a lucky hit in." a sigh "Kasumi sacrificed herself to let Fuki run away, and by the time we arrived, the third genin was dead too, and Kasumi hasn't woken up yet..."

Her dark eyes made everyone realize that the white-haired girl wasn't expanding on the injuries received for a good reason – after all kunoichi always were more at risk than shinobi...  
Kiba took over "Fuki hasn't stopped training since. She's even dropped by a few times to ask tips to Naruto, apparently she's gotten interested in fuuinjutsu, and she's a brawler type like him."  
"To think she was of those who always turned up her nose at Naruto back when we were still at the academy..." Sakura mused  
"Anyway, the Chuunin Exam coming around means something else..."  
"Oh! Gaara and his siblings are coming, aren't they?"  
"They are, along with another two genin teams." Naruto nodded enthusiastically – while the red-head Jinchuuriki would always held Yagami in a special place, he had really gotten well along with the blond despite their different character, bonding over their shared burden

Yagami and Kagami shared a secret smile.  
While the chuunin had their own missions, they'd seen Gaara three more times since their trip to Suna, helping among other things to straighten things between the two Hidden Village.  
Which meant, not that the chuunin knew it yet, that the Exams in Konoha would be even more important than expected – as the Kazekage had barely escaped an attempt on his life, and had been playing dead even since, someone having replaced him at the head of his village.

Only a handful of Anbu and his three children knew both about the murder attempt, and subsequent replacement – and the fake was currently putting together an invasion attempt against Konoha with a new village they'd never heard about – Otogakure.  
Except, according to Jiraya, that Oto may well be Orochimaru's latest toy...  
Yagami smiled – yes truly, these Chuunin Exam promised to be memorable.

* * *

**[******Yagami****/ Age 8 / Level 92  
****Physical Main Stat 124(205):****Strength 36(66) / Agility 67(108) / Endurance 21 (31)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 152(203): ****Intelligence 62(92) / Will 34(46) / Wisdom 56(65)  
****Social Main Stat 105(169):****Presence 21(29) / Perception 52(84) / Luck 32(56)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 332(534) / HP regen/min 3,35(6,05) / Chakra Points 667 / CP regen/min 7,59  
Damage 45,3(86,5) / Defense 25,5(46,1) / Reaction Speed 53,2(84,9)  
Chakra control 42,8(59) / Chakra Density 40,6(56,9) / Mind Speed 60,2(83,9)  
Critic Chance 22,3(49,6) / Critic Damage Multiplier 14,5(48,4), Loot Bonus 33,8(56,2)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 12 / Level 65  
****Physical Main Stat 93(142):****Strength 42(57) / Agility 34(43) / Endurance 17 (42)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 82(112): ****Intelligence 31(31) / Will 29(53) / Wisdom 22(28)  
****Social Main Stat 57(85): ****Presence 18(19) / Perception 19(24) / Luck 20(42)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 254(452) / HP regen/min 2,56(4,65) / Chakra Point 597 / CP regen/min 5,97  
Damage 39,6(53,9) / Defense 24,5(46,5) / Reaction Speed 28,9(42,7)  
Chakra control 22,6(28,6) / Chakra Density 26,9(45,5) / Mind Speed 28,3(30,1)  
Critic Chance 4,29(6,89) / Critic Damage Multiplier 7,92(22,6), Loot Bonus 19,4(33,8)]

**[******Sasuke****/ Age 12 / Level 65  
****Physical Main Stat 102(126):****Strength 35(41) / Agility 51(69) / Endurance 16(16)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 81(127):****Intelligence 36(61) / Will 24(30) / Wisdom 21(36)  
****Social Main Stat 60(77):****Presence 17(20) / Perception 24(39) / Luck 19(19)]

**[******Kiba****/ Age 12 / Level 62  
****Physical Main Stat 88(124): ****Strength 37(59) / Agility 34(45) / Endurance 17(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 85(91): ****Intelligence 32(32) / Will 25(31) / Wisdom 28(28)  
****Social Main Stat 55(64): ****Presence 12(12) / Perception 29(38) / Luck 14(14)]

**[******Sakura****/ Age 12 / Level 61  
****Physical Main Stat 92(95):****Strength 27(30) / Agility 50(50) / Endurance 15(15)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 84(120):****Intelligence 42(60) / Will 23(29) / Wisdom 19(31)  
****Social Main Stat 58(61):****Presence 17(17) / Perception 23(26) / Luck 18(18)]

**Wave Mission Team breakout:**

****Team Uzumaki:****leader Naruto(chuunin), Sasuke(chuunin), Kiba, Sakura**  
******Team Uchiha:****leader Kagami, Yagami

**Regular Team breakout:**

****Team 6:**** sensei Sarutobi Asuma, Isao(chuunin) Ino and Shino  
****Team 8:****sensei Nara Ren, Ayame(chuunin) Kiba and Sakura  
****Team 9:**** sensei Might Guy, Neji, Lee and Shikamaru(chuunin)  
****Team 10:**** sensei Yuuhi Kurenai,Tenten, Chouji and Hinata(chuunin)  
****Team Hatake:**** Kakashi, Inari(chuunin), Naruto(chuunin) and Sasuke(chuunin)**  
******Team Uchiha/Anbu Team Mongoose:**** Uchiha Kagami, Hatake Yagami(chuunin/Anbu:Alpha)


	7. VI Leaves and Sound

****VI. Leaves and Sound****

"Oh..." a blond woman slurred "I'm seeing unexpected ghosts, this sake is good."  
"Uh. You hadn't told me she was like you, Kage-kun."  
"What do you mean she... Oh..."  
"Wait, you didn't know? She looks twenty when she's in her fifties!"  
"That's called a seal, brat." the blond woman facing her answered "Not that I really should be explaining this to an hallucination."  
"That seal on your forehead is pretty neat, but that's not what's making you look so young." Yagami contradicted with a shrug "You can't fool an Uzumaki with seals, girl."

"Uzumaki?" the blond woman snorted "They're all dead." she eyed Kagami "Like you, and like the Senju will be once I kick the bucket."  
"Which won't happen in a good few decades given your lifespan." Yagami estimated "And well, you're not completely right, remember that little clan-mate you've refused to recognized five years go?"  
"I've no idea what you're talking about."  
Yagami eyed the drunkard.  
"Fuck, she's telling the true." she pinched her nose "Danzo's been dead for nearly a year and somehow he's still stirring trouble for us!"  
"Ah! The old stick-in-the-mud is dead? Good on him! Bastard!"

"Indeed. And apparently he's also intercepted quite a few communications between Konoha and you."  
As drunk as she was, Senju Tsunade was still a Senju, on of the three legendary students of the Sandaime that had all become as powerful as Kage in their early twenties. As such, she did see Yagami move, and she did move to avoid the attack.  
What she hadn't expected was for her body not to answer.  
"Fuck! I thought you were an Uzumaki, not a Nara?"  
"I'm both. Plus a few other blood-lines with a cherry on top. Technically I'm even a Senju."  
"Bullshit!"

"It's not I'm afraid, you can thank your team-mate for that."Yagami answered back, hand hitting the woman's brow wit a hit of chakra, clearing the alcohol from her body  
Tsunade shook her head to dissipate the last dredges, muttering "That was shoddy work."  
"Not everyone has the luck to manage both large chakra reserves and perfect chakra control." Yagami answered unapologetically  
With the alcohol got from her system, Tsunade was eyeing her more seriously, going thorough their previous talk without the haze of drunkenness.  
"It seems like we need to talk..."  
Kagami nodded "You seem to be lacking quite a few key information."

"Yeah. Weren't you dead in the latest news? Like... more than forty years ago?"  
"Hiruzen helped me fake my death," Kagami answered with a shrug "I've been in Anbu ever since. The reason why should be rather obvious."  
"Yeah. You look barely older than I do..."the blond commented, clearly bemused "And given my own issues with age..." she eyed him "I thought it had something to do with Senju genes, but clearly that's not it."  
"It's not." the Uchiha nodded "But we'll talk more about this later... Did you really not know about Tenzo?"  
"Who?"  
The Anbu commander sighed.  
"The only one among the children rescued from Orochimaru who wasn't claimed by his clan."

"I have no fucking clue about what you're talking about." Tsunade answered plainly "Last I knew, Orochimaru was a missing-nin, and Jiraya hunting him, but that's about it."  
"Jiraya did and is still hunting him." Yagami nodded "And while he didn't caught him, he did manage to rescue some of Orochimaru's test subjects."  
"Wait..." Tsunade's eyes widened "You weren't joking when you said you had numerous blood-lines! How are you even alive?"  
Yagami's eyes darkened, and the medic-nin winced, suddenly realizing it may not have been a good question to ask.  
"So you're really a Senju?" she wondered, eyeing her with a mix of hope, wonder and fear  
"I am." the white-haired girl nodded, making her chakra flutter, a delicate looking flower appearing in her fingers "But I'm not the only one."  
"Yeah, you said... Tenzo?"  
"Technically, he was the first rescue from Orochimaru." Kagami answered "He's been in Anbu ever since... When the other children were rescued and adopted by the clans we hoped you'd take him in..."

"But I hadn't even heard about him." the blond mused, before adding with a sight "It's probably better for him, knowing my luck."  
"Tsunade-sama. We've survived Orochimaru's lab, and he got brain-washed by Danzo after that, and was taught that his feelings were useless, and finally once freed, he had to assume his existence wasn't even important enough for the only family he could claim since she didn't even try to reach out toward him. Do you really think your luck can do anything worse to him?"  
The blond woman winced as the situation was summed up like that.  
"Alright... meeting one person shouldn't hurt..." she mused to herself "But I doubt that's why you're here."  
"It's not." Kagami answered, handing her a scroll with red borders  
"Emergency State Orders?" the blond mused "War again?"

"Only if Orochimaru has his way." Kagami contradicted "We've realized during the previous Chuunin Exam that someone was meddling in our relation with Sunagakure. Recently, someone murdered the Kazekage and replaced him, and have since started organizing an invasion against us during the pending Exams, with the help of Otogakure, a new hidden village."  
"A village that, according to Jiraya, may well be under Orochimaru's rule."  
"And Hiruzen-sensei wants me back?"

"He's wanted you back for a long time." Yagami corrected "He's only refrained from calling you to respect your wishes, but now he can't really afford not to have you back."  
"I have no wish to fight for Konoha again."  
Yagami eyed the blond woman,****Soul********Sense****singing, and answered, not unkindly "You may lie to yourself, but you can't fool me." a smile "You still love Konoha, it has given you has much as it has taken. It's the dream of your family, and you would give your own life before letting it die."  
Tsunade couldn't meet her eyes at the affirmation, all but admitting by looking away that the other was right, but Kagami wasn't too surprised.

Konoha truly had taken much away from the woman, that was born in a flourishing clan – that had been all but gone by the time she earned her legendary title. Maybe, if they hadn't started by informing her her clan wasn't as dead as she thought, and that she wasn't as alone as she though in her lack of growing old, she'd have reacted differently – but within a few minutes of talk, they'd gave her back what she so sorely lacked.  
Kin - family, and people to relate to.  
So as afraid as she was – she had a reason to fight once more.  
"You won't be fighting if you really don't want to anyway." Yagami said, taking the silence for the victory it was "You said yourself my work was shoddy, wasn't it?"  
"Well of course! Because it was!"  
"Well there's a hospital full of medic-nin hopeful needing teaching."

"Bah. And will any of those weakling survive my training?"  
Kagami laughed.  
"Those in the hospital? I don't know. Those trained by Yami-chan? Without a doubt!"  
"She's just a brat!" the blond protested, eyeing the girl that despite wearing a chuunin vest clearly wasn't even ten year old  
"You should know better than anyone not to judge someone by the physique." the young goddess pointed out "Even if I am eight year old."  
"Tell you what." Tsunade laughed "I'll take any of your students on, and if he or she manages to land one hit on me, I'll come back."  
"How fortunate." Yagami smiled sweetly "there is a chuunin team nearby that was trained by my caring self."  
Kagami let out a cough at that comment that sounded suspiciously like "murder attempt", but Yagami was checking in with Naruto, Sasuke, Hinata and Inari via **Chaos Game**.

"They're done with their mission, they'll be here by tonight." she told the blond with a smile "How about having this match tomorrow?"  
"You're on!"  
The four chuunin arrived by the evening, meeting Yagami, Kagami and Tsunade and her apprentice, Shizune, in the inn where they were staying. Soon, all were sharing an evening meal, Shizune eyeing with fascination as Naruto inhaled an illogical amount of ramen while complaining that Teuchi's own recipe in Konoha was far better, while casually bickering with Sasuke.  
"I'm pretty sure he's breaking a law or two of physics." Shizune mused, the small nin-buta in her arms oinking his approval at the affirmation  
"We're shinobi." the bright blond answered with a smile "If you're not breaking any law of physics, then you're not trying hard enough!"  
"Anyway, you didn't told us much, only we were supposed to have a spar?" Inari mused  
"Tsunade-sama here wants to check any students she takes on will be able to endure her training, so she'll be testing any shinobi Yagami has had a hand in training..."

"There's no way she's worse than Yami-chan, right?" Naruto wondered  
Sasuke pointed at the woman's apprentice, who'd paled at the word training.  
"Oh wow, I think we've found someone beside Ren-sensei and Yami-chan that doesn't have a sane idea about humans limits..." the blond mumbled with a mix of awe and fear  
"How did you put it?" the well endowed blond parroted with a smirk "If you're not breaking any law of physics, then you're not trying hard enough!"  
"Ugh..." the Uzumaki shuddered "I'm so glad I've got strictly no talent in medical jutsu."  
"Then..." Hinata wondered, tone as sweet as ever but far more assured than when she was younger "You won't mind if I take the spar?"  
"Uh?" Naruto's eyes widened "Oh right, Sakura's been helping you with medic lessons so you must be interested. Be my guest, go ahead!"  
"You could come at me all at once it wouldn't make a difference." Tsunade shrugged magnanimously

As arrogant as it sounded – she wasn't wrong, the chuunin knew, only Inari was a different matter, but the woman didn't know how old and skilled the red-head really was so it didn't count.  
After all, the woman appeared on ****Chaos********Game****as _"__**Senju Tsunade**__ "_Legendary Sucker_"___ level 106___"_. The only kage level shinobi they'd ever sparred against was Kagami, and of course they'd always lost by a wide margin, even with the Uchiha holding back.  
The evening went by quickly, and loudly, Tsunade and Naruto going along rather well – in their own unique way, the Uzumaki chuunin calling the woman old when he learned how old she was, while she retorted by calling him a loud-mouthed idiot, making Sasuke nod his assent.  
Clearly, even if she'd missed on her grand-mother's Uzumaki Inheritance, she's still had gotten the temper.  
Meanwhile, Hinata was talking calmly with Shizune, both calm and demurred woman but skilled nonetheless, the older woman stunned to learn all the changes that had occurred in their village in the last few years.  
The news about age-limit especially, surprised her enough that it managed to capture Tsunade's attention out of the poker match she was loosing to Naruto as it was something she fully approved.

¤.¤.¤

"You are really sure your team-mates will win." Tsunade taunted Naruto the next day, as the blond was loudly cheering for Hinata, Inari not to be outdone  
"Well, of course!" Naruto nodded "After all, you're talking about bad luck and have all but given up, while she's defeated her own fate, and proved all the Hyuuga old farts she could be strong in her own way! Right now Hinata is way stronger than you!"  
Inari nodded along, both Uzumaki like always completely on the same wave-length, sending an identical smile to their fellow chuunin.  
The pale-eyed girl blushed a bit under the double assault, but stood tall and proud at the affirmation, reassured by both boys loud approval – and Sasuke, Kagami and Yagami's calmer but no less faithful smiles.

Tsunade eyed the girl.  
"You're sure you want to pitch a Hyuuga against me? That's just being cruel on the girl!"  
Hinata smiled serenely "That's what my opponent said during the Chuunin Exams too. He lost."  
A snort.  
"I'm a bit strong than a genin, girl."  
"I am too." Hinata answered with a smile, byakugan flaring alive as Shizune called for the match to start  
"If you manage to make me move from this spot, you win."  
The bluenette rushed forward, chakra enhancing her movement, not surprised when the other easily dodged her, but instead on dodging the hit back, she grabbed the blond's arm with both hands,using it as a support to launch her feet toward the Senju's knee, making her stumble in surprise "Oh? You closed a tenketsu in my leg?" Tsunade mused, impressed in spite of herself

Still, she wasn't a legendary kunoichi for nothing, and despite the initial imbalance of not being able to enhance one leg anymore, she still managed to evade the next attack, especially now that she knew the girl in front of her could close tenketsu with her feet just as well as her hands - all the while cycling chakra in her body to open back the tenketsu that had been closed.  
Of course, it wasn't Hinata's aim to beat her in a taijutsu battle – and while Tsunade could still outdo her without any problem in close-combat, well-known for her powerful taijutsu style, the Hyuuga wasn't someone who limited herself to her clan's techniques.  
_**"Ranton: Dairyuudan!"**_

This, Tsunade hadn't expected, and while she did manage a _**"Doton: Doryuuheki**_**!"** in time, it had also had the effect of hiding Hinata from her – something the girl took advantage of as her next attack went directly through the stone wall, taking advantage of Earth chakra's weakness toward Lightning.  
Of course, given that it was a Sannin in front of her, the inherent weakness between element wasn't enough alone, given how much more skilled the other was.  
_**"Raiton: Hakke Kuushou!"**_  
This time – Tsunade had to chose between taking the attack and dodging. Of course, she had been expecting the regular version of the attack, not the one enhanced by lightning chakra- and so, despite protecting her vitals with her arms and bracing herself, she was still propelled back.  
It was less than ten centimeters.  
But Hinata had made her move.

"Well, it doesn't prove the brats will be able to survive my training," Tsunade commented with a waving hand motion, making the chuunin sweat-drop "But a loss is a loss."  
"Man, Tenzo is going to be thrilled!" Naruto commented with a happy smile  
"Uh, who's Tenzo?" Hinata asked  
"He's the Senju in Anbu." the blond explained "He was there when I dropped on Yami-chan's training trip after the last Chuunin Exam, apparently he owed a favor to Kakashi-sensei so he helped with Yami-chan's training as repayment."  
Hinata nodded, understanding better – the training trip in question being the one the white-haired girl had taken after resolving to learn more about her bloodlines.

Since all could not just drop out of the mission rotary, the girl had gone only with Kagami, Inari and Ren, but most of them had still dropped by the camp they'd made in the Forest of Death at least a couple of days.  
"Poor Tenzo-san." Yagami sighed "He's way too kind, and otou-san abuses it shamelessly."  
"You do too." Kagami pointed out, rolling his eyes  
"Well you can't blame me, I'm only following my father's example..."  
Tsunade snorted at the utterly fake innocent look the girl was attempting while musing "Anyway, let's hit the road, if we really have to get back to Konoha I'd rather do it before the latest batch of debt collectors drops by."

The answer made all sweat-drop, except Shizune who simply hanged her head down in shame at the utterly unconcerned attitude of her mentor.  
"Still..." Sasuke mused as they did indeed hit the road "There must be a reason for hokage-sama to suddenly recall Tsunade-sama?"  
"Yeah, taking care of the hospital." the Sannin nodded  
Naruto snorted.  
"Yeah, right." a shrug "Oh well, I guess it's classified then."

"It is." Kagami nodded "But I'll give you a hint... You better practice, trouble is ahead of us."  
"When isn't it?" Inari wondered  
"You're the one causing said trouble most of the time, Inari-kun." Hinata pointed out with an amused smile  
"If you're talking about the catnip in the den, that wasn't me, it was Naruto!"  
"Was not!" the other protested heatedly "Even if I do wish I had the idea first..." he pouted

¤.¤.¤

"Well," Yagami mused as they arrived near the village's gate at the same time as a familiar group of Suna nin "seems like we're just in time."  
"Hime-chan." Gaara greeted  
"Temari-chan, Kankuro-san, Gaara-kun!" Naruto greeted enthusiastically while Yagami hugged Gaara just as enthusiastically  
"Good luck in the exam!" Naruto smiled "But I warn you, there's competition ahead!"  
"We look forward to see those that didn't get a promotion last time again." Temari nodded with a smile "After all, we've trained too!"

"This is going to be epic!" the blond declared enthusiastically "Say, Yami-chan..."  
"Yes, you're already on the list of chuunin authorized in the Examination Area." the girl nodded, having already guessed at the teen's plea "You too, Sasuke."  
"Yatta!" Naruto cheered loudly, as Sasuke sedately nodded his thanks "Wait... What about the others?"  
"I've helped with the preparations of the first test with Shikamaru, so I'm already authorized." Hinata explained "I believe Isao and Ayame pitched in for the preparations of the second part."  
"What? When did this happen?"  
"When you were in Nami no Kuni."  
"Oh right we did spent nearly a month away..."

While they were talking, the paper-work for the Suna delegation had been checked over, and they were soon all on their way toward the Hokage Tower.  
"It's really different from Suna." Temari mused "I've never seen so much green in one place."  
Soon, the chuunin had given their mission report to a paper nin and went on their way, taking the Suna genin along with them while the jounin headed to their assigned residency, while Tsunade, Shizune, Yagami and Kagami were finally alone with the hokage.  
"Welcome back, Tsunade-chan."  
"You've grown old, Hiruzen-sensei." the blond answered abruptly – but without any heat  
"Or so Kagami tells me daily."  
"Well least you forget." the Anbu commander commented in an unrepentant tone "I've been told old people sometimes had problem with their memory."

After those rather light-hearted greeting, they'd soon put the kunoichi up-to-date with the situation in the village – that is to say, the invasion that was to be expected in about five weeks. Of course, since they didn't want to tip their hand, Tsunade's return was to appear like something rather ordinary.  
As such, while the woman intended to meet, and accept into her empty clan, the boy she hadn't known existed, they wouldn't be making a big deal of the event, like they could have at another moment to profit of the reaction of the civilians, always happy to see the clans thriving, as it was a point of pride to have so many clans around in any hidden village.  
"And Yagami."

The sentence, added as an after-thought, made Hiruzen rise an eyebrow "Yagami-chan?" he eyed the girl who winced "Something you forget to told me?"  
"I may have avoided to declare all my bloodlines when I was rescued..." she admitted with a sigh  
While she was starting to make her peace with the event, it still wasn't something she wanted widely publicized – even if she had been rather blunt with Tsunade, but that had been to elicit a reaction from the drunken woman...  
Kagami shrugged shamelessly "Bah, I know Sasuke-kun has already added you to the Uchiha registry." he pointed out "And you've been in the Nara one since your arrival in Konoha, even if they didn't know you really shared their bloodline at the time, and of course Isao-kun and Ayame-chan already know, so with the Senju adopting you there's only one relevant Konoha clan not in the known."  
The hokage pinched his nose.  
"Yagami... How many?"

"Ten." Kagami was the one to answer, the blunt question a bit much for the tiring girl who was quickly closing down "You don't have to worry about it, most of the paper work is done, like I said! And most people don't know."  
The hokage nodded, having realized too that the young girl was coming close to a break-down point, and as such not insisting – they would talk more about the topic when needed.  
Like planned, Tsunade didn't make waves with her return, the civilians very happy to see her once more around, as she was to their knowledge the last Senju, but the news soon replaced by the other on-going events of regular life in a hidden village – the Chuunin Exam had been officially announced, and with it all the merchants were preparing themselves for the usual increase in visitors that meant more business.

The genin were soon more busy taking in any last minute training before the exams.  
Meanwhile even if the chuunin noted they had more task than usual to prepare that village for the Exam – after all, with so many foreign shinobi around it was only logical to heighten the security, and they knew better than to point it out  
As for the jounin – by now they definitely knew that something was amiss, but one didn't get the rank by being stupid, so they took to relearn the schedule of the patrol around the village, update their equipment, hone their weapons, and so on...  
The Anbu were already on war footing, patrol inside the village doubled – with one team visible like usual, while the other was acting in the first's shadow.

¤.¤.¤

"Finally here, you slow-pokes!" Ino's loud voice called, making Kiba wince "With you here, the gang is together!"  
"You're really close." a rather envious Fuki pointed out from her position with Chouji and Tenten, eyeing the three teams that had naturally gravitated together in the waiting area, before glancing toward team 12, the other genin team from her year that had been nominated for the exam  
The other winced – they all remembered that Ami had been a close friend with Fuki during their academy days, but apparently the friendship hadn't survived their graduation, and the bright violet-haired girl was instead all but plastered against Uchiha Naoki, while the boy himself was doing all he could to ignore her.

"Wow, it didn't took her long to find a replacement for her crush on Sasuke-kun." Sakura mused, eyes wide at her fellow kunoichi attitude – she shuddered in horror "I'll have to remember to thank Ren-sensei again for waking me up. Can you imagine me acting like that?"  
"You used to." Kiba pointed out, dodging her answering fist while laughing "But we've all forgotten about it!" he winked, making them all laugh  
In a vain attempt to get rid of his leech, Naoki and his third team-mate, Inuzuka Tsukimaru, a wild looking girl who had a small pup with her – a bit smaller than Akamaru, but looking more wolf-like than him.  
Kiba greeted the girl with a smile, which she answered in turn, albeit blushing a bit, making Sakura raise an eyebrow "Tsuki-san lived in our den for a while when we were young." the Inuzuka explained

"My father was KIA," the girl nodded "so the alpha took care of us before my mother able to stand back on her own feet."  
"I'm always impressed by how much help you always provide each other in the clan." Sakura admitted with a smile "Not everyone would have someone to count on out of the compound."  
"You're right." the genin nodded "Which is why I want to become a medic-nin, to help even more people."  
"That mustn't be easy." Sakura mused – Inuzuka tended to have rather large reserve, and a wild feeling to their chakra that made it rather hard to control  
"It's not." the other nodded "But I'm not afraid of hard work!"

While the genin were talking amicably, a new-comer had approached their large group "You should make less noise, you're attracting attention from everybody else in the room."  
If Fuki, Ami, Naoki and Tsukimaru looked at the other genin cluelessly, the other shared a wary glance – of course they were attracting attention, they were the genin with a home advantage! Beside, everyone around them could end up as an opponent, so watching the other people present was only common sense...  
"People are high-strung from the exam already, you're making yourself a target." the other forged on  
Seeing as he was getting to the younger genin, Kiba asked "What's it to you?"  
"Well, we're all fellow Konoha genin, we're on the same side." the bespectacled, gray-haired shinobi answered with a smile

"You sure know a lot about the exam." Fuki mused  
"Well of course, it's my seventh time taking them."  
This time, Sakura and Kiba shared a worried glance.  
The man in front of them, after all, was jounin level in terms of power, according to ****Chaos**** ****Game**** who simply read _"__**Yakushi Kabuto**_ "the 1000 Faces Shinobi"__Level 87___"_. Clearly – if he had failed, it wasn't by lack of skill, something else was going on there...  
"Say," the man continued amicably "I'll even share a bit more information with you cute rookies..." cards appeared in his hands "These are my Information Gathering Shinobi Cards!" a smile "They're a summary of the four years of Exams I've done so if I put my chakra in them..." a map appeared on the first card, gaining impressed looks from most

This – was advanced fuuinjutsu, no doubt about it, even if it didn't have a practical application in a fight.  
And more importantly – really detailed information, as they realized as the next moment, on Naoki's demand, the fake genin was giving a worryingly accurate account of all the abilities Neji had ever used publicly, even down to the number of mission he'd done.  
"Wow, clinging to the old Uchiha-Hyuuga rivalry much?" Kiba mumbled at the demand "Can't believe he let a fellow Konoha nin abilities read aloud like that, what is wrong with the boy?"  
"Sasuke told us he was far too proud."  
"There's a difference between pride and sheer dumbness!"

"Konoha, Suna, Ame,Taki, Kusa, Oto... There are genin from quite a few hidden villages that have come to take the exam. There's even a team from Iwa." a shrug "Anyway, I don't have a lot of information about Otogakure since they're a small, fairly new village..."  
"Iwa's there?" Ino whispered to Sakura "You guys must have made an impression in Suna, I don't think they've come to a Konoha Session since the end of the Third Shinobi War."  
Sakura didn't answer, as her attention was on a nearby team of genin reacting to Kabuto's comment, one of them rushing with surprising speed and sending a couple of kunai at him. True to his skill level, the fake genin did doge the attack – but a second later, his glasses still cracked, intriguing all the genin around, and for the more intelligent, making them guess at the other genin's technique.

"How pathetic." the sound genin sneered, his two team-mates having caught up with him, as the gray-haired Konoha nin threw up "Put that in your cards, loser: Oto nin, soon to be chuunin!"  
"Yet not even able to see a little girl coming." a sweet voice commented  
Sakura and Kiba shared an amused glance at the familiar silhouette perched on the stunned genin's shoulder, probably only able to sit on the small space thanks to her own strength, balance and chakra. Yagami jumped lightly down to the ground, voice carrying unnaturally well, making those that knew her suspect the use of a jutsu.  
"The First Test of the Chuunin Examination has now started and will last one hour." a smile "Or rather you will be able to start as soon as you manage to enter the next room, which is closed by a code only I know." a wink "Tik tok, the clock's ticking away! Fifty-nine minutes left!"

¤.¤.¤

No sooner had she told this that several teams had jumped toward her, making the mistake of assuming it would be easy to beat her into telling the code with how young she looked.  
"Morons." Kiba snorted, before turning toward Neji "Say, is there an easy path?"  
"Windows are barely protected." the other nodded, byakugan flaring to life "And the double ceiling looks rather sturdy."  
Fuki gave a last glance at her former friend's team, who was along those that had tried to fight, then with a shrug followed Tenten, that was already on the ceiling, hanging head upside-down with chakra, while the other two teams were already on the nearest window sill.

The three teams were among the first in the room, but others soon followed – and eventually Tsukimaru, who knew better than most how competent the ancestor of her clan was even if she hadn't managed to convince Ami and Naoki not to rush in the fight, asked "We can't win against you, so it's not a fighting test..."  
"It isn't." Yagami confirmed with a smile; easily weaving around the incoming attacks  
"So... can you tell me the code? Please?"  
The girl laughed and nodded "Well, since you were the first one to try to ask... For you, it'll be 767481."  
People rushed to try the code – only to realize, stunned, that the code didn't work.  
The Inuzuka shrugged at their protests and went ahead anyway, her team-mates following after a moment of hesitation, proving that the code did work for them...

Kabuto eyed them, thoughtful, and his own team-mates in tow tried a code of his own – gaining entrance too...  
In the fifty minutes that followed, of the nearly forty teams present, less than thirty managed to enter the room, some by their own means, others realizing thanks to the few hints the white-haired girl had dropped that the code, different for each team, consisted of the two last numbers on each team-mate's shinobi registration number...  
Of course, gaining entrance wasn't the end of their trouble, they still had a written test to complete after that, with the rules displayed on a blackboard at the front of the rule, and a few stony-faced shinobi keeping a stern eyes on the genin focused on their exam papers.

Sakura had gone swiftly through the nine questions, but it was pretty evident they weren't meant to be known by regular genin – and around them she soon noted most people realizing so and coming up with different cheating method, the less effective of them soon caught by the proctors and taken out of the exams.  
At the fifty minute mark, Yagami strolled happily in the room, not a strand of hair out of place, and perching herself happily on the edge of the main proctor's desk, making most genin wonder how the scary-looking man would react.  
The man simply raised an eyebrow at her pristine appearance, and she shrugged "What? It's just as I told you, most of them rushed at me without taking a look at the chuunin vest, I didn't even have to use a jutsu."

Indeed, the affirmation made a few genin whisper in surprise, making Sakura wonder how they hadn't realized – was their sense of observation that bad?  
As the time was up, the towering man stood up, roaring "Time's up, maggots only one question left! If any of you don't think you'll be able to answer it, you better scram as failing this question will make you ineligible for promotion ever again!"  
Quite a few genin started to protest loudly at that, making him shout louder "Shut up, or get out, you have ten minutes to make your choice!"  
Sakura shared a glance with her team-mates – Kiba was smiling cockily, and Lee's own bright grimace was accompanied by a thumb up  
Around them, quite a few teams dropped out as the tension rose in the room, and when the time was up, only nineteen teams were left in the room.  
"Congrats, brats." the tall man praised to the surprised genin "You pass."  
"Wait... What?"

The candid exclamation came from a Suna nin, but the man didn't seem to mind this time, as he instead removed the hitai-ate that covered his bald head, revealing that beneath it were scars even worse than those on his face...  
"Becoming a chuunin means you'll be responsible not only of yourself but also of your team-mates, and your whole village's safety." a grim smile "Sometimes, even when the risk are high, you won't be able to run away and you just proved you were able to make a tough call."  
"Wait... then the nine questions before? And that girl preventing us from entering were all useless?"  
"Of course not." the proctor contradicted "The aim was to test your information gathering skills."  
"And the fight?" one of the last genin to have entered the room wondered

"That was a form of information gathering too." Yagami pointed out "None of you had to fight me, yet you all immediately assumed that because I was so small I would be an easy prey." a smile "I was already a chuunin by the time most of you were barely starting the academy, and there were quite a few way to know this."  
"Some of you realized fighting head on wasn't necessary and found other means to enter, some made me talk to listen to hints I would drop to find the pass-code... Those that made the mistake of fighting till the end never even made it to the test, just like those that couldn't even detect the genjutsu on the second floor."  
Whatever would have been told next was never heard as a window was suddenly crashed, a large banner stuck to the ceiling by a pair of kunai boldly proclaiming **"Mitarashi Anko, sexy proctor for the Chuunin Exam's second test"**, with said Mitarashi Anko following, standing boldly in front of the writing.

"Less than half left," she noted "not bad, Ibiki-san, Yagami-san!" a smile as she promised"by the time I'm done with you brats, I'll have halved this number again!"  
The dark violet-haired woman quickly herded the fifty-seven genin left toward a large, perilous looking forest closed by a heavy fence,a large number painted on the entrance closest to them.  
"This is training-ground 44, also known as the Forest of Death!" Anko explained with a large smile  
"She sounds way too happy about this, I'm having flash-back to Yami-chan's training trips..." Kiba shuddered "That plus a temper as loud as Naruto and Inari, I didn't think it was possible!" as if agreeing, Akamaru let out a small whimper  
As ironic it was for her team-mate to call anyone else loud, Sakura couldn't help but agree.

"Before entering," the woman explained, unsealing a pile of paperwork "you'll have to sign these liabilities form, I wouldn't want to be held responsible if you died!"  
Team 6, 8 and 10 weren't surprised at the affirmation, since preparations for the Chuunin Examinations had included long conversations about the previous session with those that had been in Suna.  
"This test will last five days," the proctor went on, making Ami complain loudly about her beauty sleep "and during this time you'll have to protect one of these two scrolls, and gain the second from another team before bringing both in the tower at the center of the forest."  
The violette-head smirked "If you're late to the tower, you lose, if you don't have both scrolls, you lose, if you open a scroll before entering the tower, you lose, and if you don't get to the tower with a full team, you lose!"

¤.¤.¤

The three teams shared a glance and as soon as all were in the forest, they headed toward each other, team 6 thanks to Neji's eyes, team 8 thanks to Kiba and Akamaru's nose and team 10 by doing guess-work based on the last position seen.  
"We have the ground advantage," Neji said a bit later "but our numbers is just as much of an advantage as an inconvenient."  
"We'll have to go with squad formations rather than team ones." Sakura nodded, remembering too about how they'd operated in the desert during their previous try  
"Let's go with a diamond formation." Lee was the one to suggest, having discarded the double arrow formation they'd used in the desert – they had a field advantage here that called for a different strategy than last time "We'll keep to the higher ground, most foreigns shinobi aren't as used as us to fight in the trees."

"So you, Neji, me and Chouji on the outer perimeter?" Kiba confirmed  
"With Shino, Tenten and Fuki in triangle formation in the middle-range." Neji nodded "We'll have to protect Sakura and Ino at all cost since they're our medics."  
The nine genin spread out as decided, Neji's byakugan and the Inuzuka nin and dog duo's flair all on the look-out for potential targets.

"So it's started, eh." Anko commented as screams could be heard from the forest, peacefully smiling while sipping her tea, an empty plate of dangos by her side  
Her peace was broken when two chuunin dropped by her side "This is no good, Anko-san, we've found bodies."  
The affirmation made the woman raise an eyebrow – after all she'd just seen all the genin enter the forest, while the man was clearly pointing outside of it. A bad feeling surging, she followed the two immediately, before freezing with dread in front of the three bodies.  
"Given the body-type and the equipment, they're the genin from Grass..." one of the two chuunin commented "But they've been her for hours a least given their state, and the faces..."  
"They've been erased." Anko nodded, brows furrowing and fists trembling in rage "This is bad, I'm heading in, this is Orochimaru's jutsu!"

The two other chuunin paled at the affirmation and rushed toward the Hokage Tower while she was heading back toward training-ground 44.  
She was already deep in the forest by the time the two chuunin arrived to their destination, barging in without any hesitation to share their news.  
"We hadn't anticipated his presence so soon." Hiruzen frowned worryingly "What is he after that he'd come before the finals?"  
"Isn't it evident?" Ayame was the one to point bitterly "We were so blinded by the invasion attempt we forget his real interest."  
"Bloodlines." Yagami completed in the same tone, getting her mask out "I'll go, Anko won't be able to keep up with him alone."  
"Will you?" the hokage asked, not unkindly – after all, he was one of the few outside of the pack who knew just how much she was still affected by his former student's exaction

"I won't be alone." she answered with a smile as Kagami started to don his mask too  
The Sandaime nodded "Then go ahead, Mongoose, Alpha, your priority is to secure Konoha's nin from the missing-nin Orochimaru, and to apprehend and arrest him if possible without putting any Konoha nin at risk. You'll be followed by Anbu team Lynx and Raccoon."  
The two acknowledged the order and left by the window while Hiruzen called not only for the two Anbu teams mentioned, but also for his two remaining students – while having both Jiraya and Tsunade head in would clearly give their hand away, he wouldn't hesitate to do so if it was necessary.

Meanwhile, Yagami had grabbed Kagami, warning him "Brace yourself." the other nodded, and both of them sank in the shadows of the small alley where the white-haired goddess had dragged them, getting out a midst the giant trees of the Forest of Death a moment later.  
The tall Uchiha was shuddering, but didn't mark anyway else his discomfort as they got out of the shadows, his apprentice's two nin-ken having grown from the nearly pocket size they usually kept to inside the village to the larger, battle-ready size they could grow to, both of them immediately catching the needed scent.  
Thanks to the shadows, they caught up with Anko within minutes – but it didn't abate their worries, as the test had already started since several hours.

¤.¤.¤

The three cooperating team had been lucky, finding the lone Ame team left in the Exams only an hour in – the fight that followed was rather short given that they outnumbered the team three to one. On top of that, the team had been overconfident, clearly looking down on them because of their alliance, taking it as proof of Konoha"s "wimpyness".  
The Ame genin had been even more unlucky in that they started their fight near a nest of Konoha jumping leaches, one of the numerous deadly inhabitants of the forest.  
The team had been swiftly relieved of it's scroll, and Sakura had been kind enough to explain to the other team how to survive the parasite – even if they knew there was a risk sparring them came back to bite them later.

They crossed path with Gaara and his siblings a bit later, but all went on their way, the Sand team already having their own scrolls, and none having any intention to fight – not only because of the friendship Sakura, Kiba and Lee had established with him during the previous Exam, but also because they all knew he was among those in the Forest that probably could manage to take all of them on and come out the winner.  
The third team they located was another Konoha team, so they were about to go on their way to look for another team when a loud scream was heard.  
"This is the Inuzuka from earlier!" Neji announced, unnaturally worried "She's been attacked by a giant beast... A snake."  
All but Fuki paled as they realized what the affirmation implied.

"And there's someone attacking the rest of her team..." Neji completed  
They all shared a gloom look, and Sakura was the one to affirm "We don't held a chance against him but... But maybe we can help them run away."  
After a moment of hesitation, all nodded, and tightening their formation, they rushed in the direction Neji was indicating them.  
They encountered the giant snake, who visibly had swallowed Tsukimaru, first.  
"If we hurt it enough it should go back to the Summoning Realms before we kill it." Kiba was the one to explain "And leave Tsuki-chan behind, as reverse-summoning is very chakra-intensive."

Neji and Lee rushed forward, giving as one a heavy kick to the gigantic beast's jaw, making it's head snap back – Kiba and Akamaru following right behind with a _**"Katon: Gatsuuga!"**_ that nearly tore the snake's face in two, and burnt it, making the summon roar in pain.  
_**"Nikudan Sensha!"**_  
The Akimichi roar was followed by the showy technique, that was the perfect finisher as he impacted the wounded snake in the same place the other genin had already attacked, making the beast disappear back to the Summon Realms with a large cloud of smoke, freeing a tired looking Tsukimaru.  
The Inuzuka kunoichi and her nin-ken looked worse for the wear, having clearly already weakened the beast prior to their arrival, and even if she too had realized who was the enemy, she was ready to rush to her team-mates help.  
Sakura had sent a message via ****Chaos********Game**** as soon as they'd realized who was attacking, and gotten the reassurance that help was on it's way – but even knowing that, they'd have to hold out until said help arrived.

"How disappointing," a creepily sweet voice was commenting as they slowed down upon arriving near the two genin and the shinobi in front of them "you bear the Uchiha blood, yet your talent isn't recognized with geniuses such as your clan heir's outshining you..."  
Naoki was bleeding, but still standing in front of Ami, who clearly had taken a bad hit as the young kunoichi was dripping much more of her life-liquid, stomach nearly shredded open.  
"We're shinobi, we're not suppose to shine." the other answered with spite despite his state "Get away from us, you already have our scroll!"  
"Ah but that's not why I'm here, Naoki-kun, not at all..."

"Get away from my team-mate!" Tsukimaru shouted as she jumped in, parrying the next attack a second before the boy was hurt "Naoki may be an annoying ass, he's my team-mate, and no one will hurt him on my watch! Same for Ami!"  
"Such a powerful team-spirit!" Orochimaru all but crooned "How utterly Leaf like!" he added with a grimace of disgust "Weak shinobi sticking together in the vain hope of keeping alive a bit longer..."  
While the renegade Sannin was focusing on Tsukimaru and Naoki, Ino and Sakura had dropped behind the young Uchiha, starting first aid help on the third team-mate to prevent her from bleeding to death.

"Oh well, I was here for the famed Uchiha bloodline since my previous sample was stolen, but since others are freely falling in my hands, why would I refuse them?" Orochimaru commented as he eyed Neji and Lee that had dropped behind him, easily avoiding their well synchronized attack  
"We'll have to attack together!" Kiba told his clan-mate as he jumped beside her  
"I've never tried it!" the girl protested  
"Neither have I." the other genin admitted easily "But we don't have much of a choice if we want to survive." he added, pointing at the missing-nin that was easily dodging all the attacks coming from their two best taijutsu specialist while looking amused

Tsukimaru nodded, realizing the teen was right – clearly, Orochimaru was only playing with them, and any attempt to run away would be cutting his fun short, and prompt him to become serious.  
And if he did this, they'd die.  
Both nin-ken took their Juujin Bunshin form, and two voices called _**"Combination: Double Gatsuuga!"**__._ The attack was the first to surprise Orochimaru, who eyed the mere graze they left on his arm "How amusing, I'd heard the Inuzuka heir was good, but I didn't expect you to be that good."  
Kiba didn't bother with an answer, too busy trying to jump out of the way. Behind him, Naoki had taken advantage of the opening to fly through the hand-signs for a _**"Katon: Housenka Tsumabeni!"**__  
_"Oh, a B-rank, you are more skilled than you let on, Naoki-kun!" the missing-nin commented, tongue wetting his lips has he smiled eagerly, pushing Fuki back seemingly without even a thought, nearly giving a concussion to the girl.

Ino was staying back frustrated – but knowing quite well that using her clan jutsu on the man would be suicide and her other focus was poisons, something the Snake Summoner was all but immune against without any surprise.  
Still, neither she nor Sakura were idle as the missing-nin, even holding back as he evidently was, was still leaving wounds left and right on their fellow genin, and simply keeping everyone alive was already taking its toll on their chakra reserves.

Lee observed the situation with a grim look – within barely five minutes, all of them had been hurt, by the ten minute mark it was clear that Orochimaru was getting bored, as his hits were less and less restrained, and Ami was looking worse by the moment despite the first aid given, neither of their medic-nin knowing enough to be able to counter the poison that had apparently coated the weapon that inflicted the wound.  
Tsukimaru was worryingly working to get her pup back on his feet, the poor nin-ken having taken the worst hit when Orochimaru had retaliated against their attack earlier, while Kiba was still attacking despite a heavy limp that was decreasing his speed by the moment.

A cloud of dust rose in the forest, and Neji rushed forward, realizing what his team-mate was preparing. Kept in place by the Hyuuga prodigy, Orochimaru couldn't dodge the next hit that propelled him in the air.  
_**"Omote Renge!"**_  
The multiple hits that followed echoed in the forest, so fast most of the genin couldn't even follow them with their eyes – then missing-nin and genin started their fall toward the ground, Lee only breaking away at the last moment, stumbling as he landed.  
The was a moment of silence – then mad laugher as Orochimaru got up from the crater the attack had left, clothes worse for the wear, and more disturbingly the youthful and rather feminine face he'd been wearing until now breaking into shredded skin, letting another face appear beneath – that one, paler and sinister, looking far less human.

"To think the reject with broken pathway would be this strong!" he commented with a demented happy look his eyes "Oh Konoha always was so entertaining!"  
Neji jumped toward the man that was already rushing back at Lee, knowing the attack would leave his team-mate weary, and Naoki followed immediately, the Uchiha having noticed too the rather slower movement of the green-clad genin.  
The pale-eyed genin had fallen into the position of the _**Hakke Rokujyuuyon Shou**_, a powerful technique of the Juuken – and one he wasn't supposed to know as a branch member – but even against the powerful taijutsu, Orochimaru was looking barely phased, managing to overpower his chakra and burn through the attack.

"So many entertaining youth, who should I leave with my gift?"  
All genin had a bad feeling as the man finally looked serious, teeth elongating into a rictus that was a parody of a snake's fangs, neck moving in a way that was more that of a snake than that of a human.

¤.¤.¤

"Get out of here!"  
Sakura and Kiba's eyes widened as Naruto and Sasuke barged in, the Uchiha barely managing to deviate the attack heading toward his clan-mate while Naruto was attacking with a heavy fist, having rushed in on all four like an Inuzuka, chakra burning red around him without the boy even realizing it.  
Orochimaru laughed as his neck made a full turn, not even phased but instead taking a sword out of his throat to attack the two chuunin.  
"Naruto is right," Sakura realized bitterly "right now we're in their way we've got to escape while the attention's on them."  
"And leave them alone against him?" Ino protested  
"If they're here, then help is incoming." Neji realized "Right now they're both fighting and protecting us."

The blond nodded reluctantly as she realized half of them could barely move now that the adrenaline was lessening.  
"Ami needs help, and so does Tenten." she realized  
Nearby, _**Adamantine chains**_ appeared, larger than the blond Uzumaki had ever managed to make them, propelling Orochimaru deeper in the forest, in the opposite direction to the one they were.  
"Get to the Tower as fast as possible!"  
They nodded, and Kiba took Ami on his back while Chouji took Tenten, Lee and Neji braced themselves for the run.

"I really hate running away." Naoki mumbled disgruntedly as they rushed through the trees, any idea of discretion gone  
"We all do." Kiba answered him somberly  
"But right now, we were just dead-weight." Ino completed darkly, having felt the most useless of all with her inability to even fight – not quite realizing that she and Sakura were the only reason they hadn't lost anyone in the battle  
"We just have to get stronger, then." Sakura was the one to answer, sending a volley of kunai flying toward three genin that had seen them, and instead of getting away from the four team decided they looked weak enough to be preyed on given the state they were all in

"Oh, tree-hugers!" the bandaged Oto nin crowed "All banged up! Let us finish the work..."  
"This guy's got a problem." Kiba mumbled as they recognized the genin that had started to stir trouble at the beginning of their first test  
Akamaru barked his agreement before the two of them rushed to attack – before stopping suddenly as the other's threw his arm forward, letting nearly inaudible sound-waves echo, making both Inuzuka and their nin-ken fall to the ground.  
The other only felt disoriented, but not nearly as handicapped by the attack and Lee surged forward, looking barely phased, and breaking the arm with a high-kick. While usually the taijutsu specialists was more measured in his attacks, right now he knew he couldn't afford to – not only were they all hurt in different ways, but the three in front of them clearly had no intention to hold back.

"Dosu!" the other male of the team shouted as their leader screamed in pain, rushing forward to help  
The second Oto genin threw his hands forward, visibly also using a sound attack – but Neji was already in front of Lee, the sphere of the _**Hakkeshou**__**Kaiten**_rising around them in a heart-beat.  
"Bah, do you really think taijutsu can do anything against chakra!" the Oto nin laughed  
"Alone, no." Ino answered with a smile "But add in a some poisoned senbon among the hits..." she trailed of as the other stumbled, eyes widening  
"Impossible!" the third Oto nin protested

"What, your little genjutsu?" Sakura asked with a smile "Bells on senbon are cute and all, but as long as one of us felt the genjutsu it was useless!"  
She had been rather surprised when feeling the genjutsu, truth be told – after all using something to deflect attention before weaving a genjutsu was something she used herself, like she had against Haku, and hadn't she been so used to detect and dispel illusions as she and all people who fought against her were, the Oto kunoichi's tactic may well have worked.  
As it was, the girl's attention had been caught by Ino – and it was too late, body crumbling to the ground, the blond's mind had already jumping ahead, managing to hit the one identified as Dosu before he realized their team-mate wasn't in control of her body.

The second Oto nin realized something was amiss – but dodging the black-haired incoming attack made him jump in the way of Chouji's attack, the enlarged fist dropping him to the ground, unconscious.  
The girl's body fell to the ground like a doll as Ino got back to her body, a second before Sakura knocked her out too, and the blond woke up in her body with a smile, walking toward the unconscious kunoichi and quickly patting her down, before getting up with a victorious call "Look what I've found!"  
"We're still missing our scrolls." Naoki pointed out

"I'm afraid the exam is finished for us anyway." Tsukimaru shrugged as she pointed as their deathly pale team-mate "But hopefully getting to the tower will still help us get medical attention."  
The bitterness faded and was replaced by a bit of guilt in the Uchiha's eyes as he eyed their third team-mate whose state was only because she jumped in front of an attack meant for him – a fan-girl never serious enough about training Ami may be, she at least was honest enough about her liking Naoki, nobody sacrificed themselves for someone they didn't truly care about...

¤.¤.¤

Naruto and Sasuke smiled as they realized that the genin had managed to make their escape, but their attention was soon back on the missing-nin in front of them.  
When Sakura and Kiba had called for help, they'd been in the observation post the closest to the forest, which was why they arrived ahead of even Anko – but as good as they were, they didn't held any illusion on how long they'd last against the Sannin.  
_**"Combination! Raiton: Adamantine chains!"**__  
_The blond's eyes widened at how large the chains were, making Sasuke sweat-drop despite how dire the situation was "Idiot, you do realize your chakra is red right now?"  
"Er?" Naruto frowned "I don't know, I'm so angry I've got trouble keeping a hold on my concentration!" he admitted easily "I mean this bastard is the one who did all that to Yami-chan and the others..."

"Well apparently your anger has awakened someone!" Sasuke answered as he was forced to let go of his hold on the chakra chains, the red chakra far too corrosive  
The jinchuuriki's eyes widened at the affirmation, but his training let him put his surprise to the side, instead focusing more on keeping the anger at bay since it clearly was impacting his fighting abilities.  
A shared glance between them was enough to agree on keeping on combination that wouldn't put Sasuke in direct contact with the clearly dangerous energy, and three _**Kage**__**Bunshin**_ rushed ahead while the two originals jumped back, flying through the hand-signs...  
_**"Combination! Shakuton: Dairyuudan!"**__  
_While clearly surprised about the jutsu, Orochimaru dispatched the clones facing off with him with a flourish of his sword, the blade growing just enough to hit all three _**bunshin**_ at the same time before jumping right at the dragon-shaped blazing chakra construct, a single blade of compressed wind leaving the sword and cutting the jutsu in two under the two chuunin's stunned eyes.

"How impressive," the missing-nin praised "Seems like Itachi-kun wasn't the only prodigy among the two brothers, eh?" he mused "Who knows, maybe you'd have already been promoted too hadn't the old man grown even softer in his old age!"  
"I don't need a fancy title to know my own abilities." the Uchiha heir retorted  
"No you don't... What you need is power to find your brother, right?"  
The two chuunin shared a worried glance – as deformed as it was, Sasuke's motivation was known only within the village, and even there not by everyone. For the other to even have an inkling about it was proof enough that he still had spies hidden in Konoha, competent spies at that...

The second of inattention was nearly fatal to both, as in a fraction of second, Orochimaru had surged forward, blade slashing through Naruto's stomach right in the middle of his seal, the chakra around it wildly pulsating and trying to heal the dangerous wound. The last thing Naruto saw before blood loss made him loose consciousness was the mad Sannin rush toward Sasuke, snake fangs biting deep into his team-mate's shoulder – then a flash of white hair, and darkness.

¤.¤.¤

The dripping sound of water awoke the blond jinchuuriki woke jumped on his feet with a gasp, stunned not to find a wound on his body, and looking warily at the unknown environment around him...  
He was in what looked like an underground base – or sewers, but rather clean, and everything was pulsing under the feel of a rather familiar chakra. His eyes widened, as he realized where he was, and he started to follow the feeling, soon arriving in a large underground cave, cut in half by large bars who looked rather similar to his own Adamantine chains, a familiar seal stuck in the middle of them.  
And a gigantic, nine-tailed beast with red fur and long ears eyeing his approach from the other side of the bars.

Naruto paused – he'd tried for years to come here, and now that he was, he didn't know what to say.  
"Er... Hi."  
"So my warden has finally come."  
"I've been trying to come for years, you were asleep!" the blond protested heatedly, momentarily forgetting he was talking to a gigantic chakra construct  
"And what were you trying to accomplish by coming? Gloating?"  
"What? No! I wanted to talk! We're stuck together for now, we might as well be friends!"  
The fox laughed, the sound booming around them and making the cave shake under the noise.

"Friends? What do you take me for, ningen, a pet?" he sneered "I have no interest in being friend with humans!"  
"But you were, a long time ago." Naruto pointed out "Yami-chan told me so. And Gaara-kun is friend with Shukaku."  
"I have no idea who this Yami-chan you talk about is." the other answered, tone dripping with disdain "And I'm not a pet to be tamed, whatever the idiotic tanuki has chosen!"  
Naruto frowned "Don't talk about Yami-chan like that." he told the beast, annoyance making him once more forget who he was talking about "Besides, I know you used to know her... Oh but she wasn't called Yami-chan yet back then, wasn't she?" he mumbled, not noticing the gigantic fox tilt his head at the affirmation, too caught up digging in his memories "How did Inari told us again... Ah, yes! Tasihou Tsuki..."  
He stumbled on the name, not finishing it as the Kyuubi had all but thrown itself against the bars, ignoring the chakra bristling against the seal and trying to throw him back "How do you know this name, ningen?"

"You're supposed to know that already! I thought bijuu could see in their Jinchuuriki memories!"  
"Do you think I'm that bored?"  
"Bah, you mean you've just woken up." Naruto contradicted "Yami-chan did tell me you were grumpy."  
Grumpy was too weak a word for the fury burning in the fox on the other side of the cave – but the blond was rather optimistic in nature, and knew he'd caught the attention of the other.  
"Look at my memories." the Uzumaki offered candidly "I'm bad at explaining things." a smile "And after you'll know I'm serious about wanting to be friend." he looked around wondering "Uh, now how do I get out of here?"

The chakra beast eyed the boy who was now trying to meditate not too far away, having remembered it should work to take him back among the living, not bothering to tell him it was useless as he was far too badly hurt to manage to regain consciousness just right now, then sent his own mind searching through the memories the other had so freely offered, shock coursing through him as he saw just like his host had Ren for the first time, recognizing contrarily to the blond the marking even if he'd never met the god in his life.  
The surprise was only the first of course, as he witnessed the few news of the desperate search of the Nara for his mate through the few glimpses of Ren Naruto had had over the three years it had taken to finally find her...

"Tsuki-hime." he whispered, the blinding rage that had fueled his hate for so long replaced by something far different as he witnessed the small broken silhouette Ren, Kakashi and Jiraya had brought back with them  
Suddenly, the usual rage seemed to pale facing the despair he felt when seeing the small body, feelings so deep he hadn't felt them in centuries- since they'd all been separated throughout the land, their father gone and his ideals all but thrown to the wind by his eldest son...  
The beast didn't realized his host had settled on the other side of the bars, silently going through the basic chakra exercise he knew, having by now realized he was too hurt to go back to the living just yet.

The blond's eyes opened at the heart-broken whisper, but he didn't interfere, feeling distantly what the other was witnessing, but not interfering.  
They'd have time to talk after, as he could now clearly feel his body wasn't ready at all to wake just yet.

¤.¤.¤

The rag-tag group breathed a sight of relief as they arrived on the tower, Neji all but stumbling in the entrance, while Naoki was looking around, wondering about their next step since there was only one empty room with a few lines of beautifully penned lines...  
"I think," the Uchiha mused as he read the words and remembered Anko's instructions "we're supposed to open the scrolls now."  
"What? But they told us not to earlier?" Ino mused, voice wavering with tiredness before eyeing the words too  
"Yeah, Naoki-san's probably right." Sakura nodded before the relative calm of the empty room was broken by a sudden shout  
"Shiromaru!"  
The group turned toward the still bleeding Tsukimaru, who was cradling her nin-ken with worry in her eyes "He's lost consciousness," she told the others, eyes fillings with tears "and he's nearly stopped breathing!"

Sakura rushed to her side, hands already glowing green "Open those scrolls," she instructed "I'll take care of him!"  
"Wait..." the Inuzuka warned  
"A dog's healing is different from a human, I know." the pinkette nodded, eyebrows scrunched as she focused most of her attention on the small, white-furred nin-ken "But you've nearly depleted your chakra, and I've got a nin-ken in my pack too." she reminded, not realizing the word she'd used, and how the two Inuzuka were sharing a stunned glance "Of course I've looked into how to heal nin-ken too!"  
The two clan-mate were clearly awed, but the rest of their group hadn't wasted their time, and were already opening the scrolls they'd gathered, and a familiar silhouette had appeared, a smile on it's face – before the smiled dropped as the chuunin realized the state they were in.

"What happened?" Iruka asked, face paling  
"We were attacked by Orochimaru." Neji was the one to answer "Naruto and Sasuke came to take the fight over, and apparently there's help on the way, but we need medic-nin urgently."  
"And Hana!" Sakura interjected from her position still bend on the young dog that was clearly in a bad way  
Iruka nodded, and eyed them in worry "I need to report who passed or not."  
"We're out." Naoki shrugged "Ami's in a bad way."  
"So is Tenten." Fuki added with a worried frown "But Team 8 and 6 can still go on." she added

Neji eyed his team-mate worryingly, but Lee smiled reassuringly – while banged up he could still go on  
"Alright." the chuunin nodded, mumbling in his ear-piece, before turning back toward them as a hidden door opened at the back of the room "Follow me, I'll take you to the sick bay." a glance toward Sakura "Can you move?"  
The pinkette frowned, but nodded "Tsuki-san, I'll need you to hold Shiromaru as stable as possible so I don't lose the chakra link."  
The Inuzuka nodded, and cautiously moved, falling in step with Sakura as they followed the chuunin in the depths of the tower.  
"There's a few medic on site, but no veterinary." Iruka was explaining "Hana has already been called, but she'll need about half an hour to arrive."  
Sakura frowned, and told Kiba "I'll need a chakra pill, my chakra reserve still aren't up to the task."

Her team-mate nodded and filched the medicine in his pouch, waiting for the girl to signal him, then feeding her the pill while the minutes went by.  
They'd arrived in the sickbay, and the pinkette was still solely focused on her patient, while the medic-nin around were taking Tenten and Ami in charge, several people working around the girls that were hurt the worst and their team-mates, explaining that they couldn't legally heal those that were still in the exam – but they didn't interfere when Ino went in their back to filch a few healing supply, knowing the girl had some of the needed knowledge to help her team-mates, just like Sakura could.  
By the time Hana arrived, Sakura was ready to drop, all but falling asleep in Kiba's arm as the elder Inuzuka took over.

¤.¤.¤

Inari frowned from the tower as he realized something was amiss – he eyed the people around him, and pointed toward one of the numerous screens on which they were observing the forest "This camera is looping..."  
The affirmation stunned the other chuunin and jounin around, and they shared worried glance "Give me a radio," he suggested "I'll check it out."  
As the chuunin and jounin were debating over it, the first message on****Chaos********Game**** appeared, making the red-head frown with worry, and all but jump out of the window as he was handed a radio.  
He was hurrying in the direction where the camera had been tampered with, and Orochimaru was toying with the genin, when a notification flashed in his vision, making him stumble. With a worried glance toward the direction he'd been rushing toward, he veered toward the very feminine screaming that seemed to be the origin of the unexpected notification only him could see.

****[Clan member in Jeopardy]****

A clan-mate that given the direction of the shouts, wasn't his mother nor Naruto.  
The young looking clan head was soon stumbling on a large clearing, a young teenage girl shivering in fear, tears on her face, both in fear and pain as he mesh shirt and top were ripped, four long bleeding claw marks marking her torso – clearly explained by the gigantic bear standing menacingly over her.  
Inari jumped in the fight, no thoughts of holding back in mind as his blade slipped in his hands, wind chakra flaring around it had making the tanto into a dangerous edge, and all but cutting the beast in two.  
He landed near the wounded girl, shaking the blood away and putting the weapon back in his ****Inventory**** before kneeling by the girl's side "Where are your team-mates, young Uzumaki?"

"Those bastards abandoned me!" she answered, edging into hysteria, before the second part of the sentence hit her "How..." she interrupted herself, finally seeing the red-haired better, and like all Uzumaki clan-mate, the Chaos wheel flashing over his head from time to time to indicate that the other was a holder of ****Chaos********Game****just like her  
"I'm Uzumaki Inari, chuunin of Konohagakure, head of the Uzumaki Clan." he introduced himself with a smile, knowing she'd realized that they had to be related, hands glowing green as he started to heal her  
"Uzumaki Karin." she answered back "Of Kusagakure..." she eyed him with hope in her eyes "If... If you're clan head, you can reclaim any shinobi from another village as long as they aren't at war with your village right?"

"Do you want me to?"  
"Please."  
The red-head smiled reassuringly at the girl, mentally frowning at how desperate she seemed to leave he village.  
"I'll take care of it." he promised, already going over the needed paper-work and politicking that would be needed, asking "If you don't mind me asking..."  
She lifted the remaining sleeve of her top, revealing numerous bite mark on her arm, making Inari frown as he nodded his understanding.  
One of the characteristic the Uzumaki shared with the Senju was their powerful life-force, that meant they had a long life-expectancy but also high healing-rate, that some people had been known to take advantage of from time to time – those bite mark meant that her team-mates was using her regularly for rapid healing regardless of the fact doing so was drawing on her own life-expectancy.

"Don't worry." he promised "Konoha treasure it's shinobi far more than Kusa clearly."  
"I'm not their shinobi." the female red-haired snorted "I'm their blood-bag, they merely gave me a hitai-ate because they needed to sent a complete team."  
The other smirked "They still gave you this hitai-ate, so now, you're mine to take back." with that, he was helping the girl up "Come, the exam are over for you, as is Kusa."  
Karin smiled in thanks and nodded with fervor her agreement.

¤.¤.¤

As focused as she was with catching up with Orochimaru, Anko stumbled when she felt two shinobi drop by her sides.  
"I'm Anbu Mongoose, this is my partner Anbu Alpha." the taller said "There's two team coming after us but we were nearby."  
"Chuunin Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke have already engaged the enemy." the smallest added "Priority on this mission is the preservation of Konoha shinobi and their blood-lines."  
"We've got to get rid of the bastard!" Anko protested heatedly  
"Not at the coast of more life on our side. He's already taken far too much from us." Mongoose contradicted

Anko nodded her acknowledgment of the order despite clearly not liking it, a heavy frown still on her face and eyes focused ahead "No matter, if the brats are already there we'd better hurry up, they're good but not that good."  
Alpha nodded grimly, and they forged ahead.  
They arrived on an unnatural clearing, with broken trees around and clear traces of the ongoing battle – scorches marks, kunai and shuriken strewed around...  
More importantly, a blood-curling scream was cutting the air.

Orochimaru was barely looking human, long neck distorted probably to avoid some attacks and fangs deep into Sasuke's neck while Naruto was lying like a broken puppet at the base of one of the gigantic trees.  
"You bastard!"  
The scream came for Anko – but for Mongoose it was clear that his apprentice was in about the same state of mind.  
"Anko, my sweet child!"  
The voice of the mad man was dripping with sugar, just as he easily evaded the heated attack the girl was sending his way, snakes lashing against snakes.

He popped in the usual way of a shadow clone only to appear behind her, making her nearly drop to the ground in pain, hand flying toward the junction between her neck and shoulder. Still, the kunoichi went past her pain, instead jabbing a kunai in both her hand, and that of the missing-nin.  
"So cold Anko-chan, is this how you greet your old teacher after so long?"  
With a violent move, he managed to stop the hand-signs of the other "And using a suicide forbidden jutsu I taught you at that, so undignified for a tokubetsu jounin of the Leaf!"  
Mongoose was the one to catch the girl that had been thrown back like a rag-doll, preventing her to jump right back into the fight, as Alpha had already taken over, having checked that for now both chuunin were still alive.

"Don't throw your life away for this bastard." the Anbu admonished the kunoichi rather uncharacteristically "It's giving him far more worth than he deserves!"  
The girl didn't answer, stumbling back on her feet even if still held by Mongoose, but clearly hampered by the seal he knew was right under her hand – but her attention was on Sasuke, that after his initial scream had now fallen unconscious "Is this why you came? To destroy one more child?"  
"The boy is far more powerful and competent than you ever were!" the other answered with a laugh, ducking under the small silhouette that was for now holding his attention "He'll live!"  
"That seal has a 90% failure rate!"  
"There are always risks in science!" the other answered "Anyway, I didn't expect to see you just yet, so I'm afraid I'll have to take my leave..."

The missing-nin was surprised when a new voice finally echoed, his way blocked by a unexpectedly skilled blade "You're not going anywhere, bastard."  
The man raised an eyebrow "How heated, chibi Anbu, I don't remember doing anything to you?"  
Mongoose was surprised by the affirmation – then remembered that Yagami had been a red-head originally, her hair growing white only during the operations to save her life back when she'd been brought to Konoha. Orochimaru wasn't a chakra sensor, like some shinobi were – with the girl's face hidden, he had no way to realize who she was just yet.  
Fire curled around the familiar tanto his apprentice was using, and the Anbu had the feeling even the air around them was heating, just like it always did when the girl's temper flared.

¤.¤.¤

Orochimaru was licking his lips in anticipation, and the Uchiha felt his eyes come alive in fury – how dare the man feel any interest toward Yagami after what he'd done to her?  
"Will you stay put if I let you go?"  
"I won't get in the way of your fight." Anko agreed, a grimace on her face "I couldn't even if I wanted..." she added ruefully – the Anbu nodded, clearly the seal flaring because of it's creator hadn't done any good to the tokubetsu jounin, that was growing paler by the second  
Mongoose tightened his hand in support to the girl before rushing forward, coming between a hit and the little white-haired girl in Anbu mask by his side. Yagami nodded her thanks and he could feel a part of her anger cool down, replaced instead by colder intent as they rushed toward the missing-nin.  
"What is it with Konoha nin and partnering up?" Orochimaru sighed "Even the genin were doing it!"

"And that's why we'll always come on top in the end, and you never were chosen as Hokage!" Alpha answered back, making the other twitch in annoyance  
After all – the former Sannin had played easily with their temper earlier, but nothing forbade them from turning the table on him using the same strategy...  
The missing-nin was still skilled, and easily pushed his annoyance to the side, making the ground shake beneath them with a doton jutsu before rushing toward them as they jumped, snakes jumping out of his sleeves toward both Anbu.  
"Ah, being hokage is an old aspiration I've long since left behind for far greater projects, don't worry about me!" he drawled, sword growing imperceptibly longer among the snakes

Mongoose frowned as his sharingan caught the change, but his body couldn't move fast enough.  
Nearby, Yagami saw the blade coming toward the other too and rushed forward, frustration at her body flaring. Too small, too constrained for her abilities to reach in time – only to feel power rush around her as a feeling similar to her shape-shifting ability rushed through her, her body growing, her reach gaining the few centimeters needed, the human reflexes replaced by far faster youkai movements...  
A dark blade dropped out of her ****Inventory**** just in time, for the first time in this life, clashing with a crystal clear sound against Orochimaru's blade.  
"A blade able to counter Kusanagi that easily? How intriguing..." Orochimaru mused, even as he was violently pushed back by a Yagami now in a body taller, more familiar

"That's not all KageShin can do." the white-haired answered, surprising Mongoose for an instant as the voice was now older, tint of childishness replaced by a crystalline tone far more adult  
On the contrary, the girl herself hadn't been surprised at all, her abilities seeming even more honed, fire answering her call with only one hand-sign, dancing with a blade in her hand even more skillfully than she had against Danzo...  
Orochimaru licked the blood on his blade, a gash cutting the Anbu tattoo on the girl's shoulder in two, having nearly cleaved the Alpha mask in two, only it's unnatural sturdiness keeping it together, only revealing a bit more one of the two green eyes – emerald eyes now speckled golden, when they hadn't been earlier, seeming far more alive than the cold gaze she'd had since she'd been liberated from the missing-nin, that despite warming thanks to all the friends she'd made since had never seemed quite as lively...

The missing-nin tilted his head "I really don't know you, do I?" he mused "I'd have remembered someone so fascinating... Should I give you a gift?"  
The girl answered by a smile full of fangs "Uh uh, the right question is... Will you be able to bestow it to me?" with that she'd rushed forward once more, not alone this time – two large canine forms had rushed out of the shadows, Blanche unhesitatingly biting the missing-nin in the shoulder while Padfoot's claws, reinforced by shadows, left long dangerous looking wounds on a thigh  
The missing-nin proved once more he wasn't a novice by managing despite his surprise to turn on himself like a cat, spawning a _**doton bunshin**_ to keep up with the two Anbu while he himself violently pushed the two large nin-ken back, Blanche letting a startled yelp as Padfoot bowled into her side to push her out of the dangerous blade's way, getting a long gash along his face in the exchange.

Yagami's furious snarl as she saw her two partners down for the count, Blanche worryingly whimpering at her partner Inugami, was more animal than human and she pushed the _**bunshin**_ violently, sending it right into Kagami's _**katon**_ **jutsu**, the fire dragon turning the earth clone into fine dust, the fire scorching even the vegetation around them.  
Kagami's eyes widened as he noted something and he immediately weaved a _**genjutsu**__,_ thankful for the mastery he'd gained over the illusion thanks to both his inheritance as an Uchiha and the years spent undercover as an Anbu.  
The Uchiha hid a smile as Orochimaru immediately broke through his first _**genjutsu**_ – never seeing the second, far more important illusion.

¤.¤.¤

Anko, despite the pain, was following the fight attentively, and now that her anger was finally coming down, replaced by both pain and worry for not only the two chuunin on the ground but also the nin-ken and genin that had thankfully apparently managed to flee – she was realizing that the formerly child-like Anbu had very familiar white hair.  
"Oh Yami-chan..." she whispered, suddenly realizing who the other was fighting  
She'd tried for quite a while to avoid the children rescued from Orochimaru, not really knowing how to react when facing them – it was easy to mock the civilians and ninja alike that were still pointing the finger at her for having once been the famous missing-nin's apprentice, because those same people had all adulated the man themselves.

But facing the victims of the mad man's vices? This was different – this was something she didn't dare to do, and had managed to avoid right until the chuunin preparations, where she'd distantly started to work with the white-haired girl that still clearly was the pillar of the twenty-three shinobi, even Tenzo, despite having been in Danzo's and not Orochimaru's labs after his first few months.  
And – simply seeing the girl from afar had been enough to make her realize how much the man had left his mark on her, yet how much she was doing to get over it. The violet-haired kunoichi was living her life from day to day, pretending to be alright and avoiding the mental issues left over from her apprenticeship while the little white-haired Uzumaki was fighting to get over her fear, pain and hatred, and even helping all the others around.

Anko had nearly broken her resolution during those preparations and talked to the girl.  
Now that Yagami was fighting – she was realizing that she wasn't the only one to still be afraid, and angry – and regretting, not having taken the time to talk to the girl earlier.  
By her side, she saw the taller Anbu fall back, sharingan still swirling agitatedly but blood dripping on his side, eyes never leaving his apprentice for a second.  
"Seems we'll soon not be alone anymore," Orochimaru mused, three horse-sized snake rushing toward the young Anbu "I'm afraid I'll have to cut this short!"  
Three swirling fist-sized balls of fire appeared around Yagami's in answer, making the missing-nin raise an interested brow once more.  
"Don't you dare, scaly bastard!"  
What no-one had expected was the three beasts to immobilize themselves on their own.

"So the rumors spread by the Toad Elder were right..." the first snake mused  
"It's an honor to meet you, hime-sama, we haven't encountered anyone from the old houses in a long time." added the second, bowing it's head  
"I have no wish to fight against you but I'm afraid I have quarrel with your summoner."  
"Then we'll fight with honor as long as our Elder asks us to follow this summoner." the third snake concluded "For the honor of the Hebi Clan."  
"And the honor of the House of Moon." the girl nodded in answer, more Tsukiko than Yagami in that moment

With that, the fight that had paused was back on, the three unusual fire ball flying toward the snakes and inflicting a surprising amount of damages for their size, making all three summons take enough damage to be sent back to their realm - Yagami the only one to realize that for the first time in two millenia, **Fox** **Fire** had burned on the planet once more.  
"I'd hoped those three beast wold have been more useful but I guess I saw something interesting instead..." Orochimaru mused, two _**kage bunshin**_popping by his sides  
The two clones rushed forward, and were dispatched in mere moments by the white-haired goddess, while the missing-nin himself took advantage of their attack to disappear just as the two reinforcement teams arrived in the destroyed clearing.

* * *

**[******Yagami****/ Age 8(14) / Level 94  
****Physical Main Stat 125(206): ****Strength 36(66) / Agility 68(109) / Endurance 21 (31)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 155(206):****Intelligence 62(92) / Will 37(49) / Wisdom 56(65)  
****Social Main Stat 105(169):****Presence 21(29) / Perception 52(84) / Luck 32(56)  
****Secondary Stat:****  
Health Points 334(536) / HP regen/min 3,37(6,08) / Chakra Points 687 / CP regen/min 7,71  
Damage 45,6(86,8) / Defense 25,5(46,1) / Reaction Speed 53,9(86,6)  
Chakra control 43,4(59,6) / Chakra Density 42,7(59,2) / Mind Speed 60,2(83,9)  
Critic Chance 22,3(50,1) / Critic Damage Multiplier 14,6(48,6), Loot Bonus 33,8(56,2)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 12 / Level 66  
****Physical Main Stat 93(142): ****Strength 42(57) / Agility 34(43) / Endurance 17 (42)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 82(112): ****Intelligence 31(31) / Will 29(53) / Wisdom 22(28)  
****Social Main Stat 59(87): ****Presence 18(19) / Perception 21(26) / Luck 20(42)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 254(452) / HP regen/min 2,56(4,65) / Chakra Point 597 / CP regen/min 5,97  
Damage 39,6(53,9) / Defense 24,5(46,5) / Reaction Speed 28,9(42,7)  
Chakra control 22,6(28,6) / Chakra Density 26,9(45,5) / Mind Speed 28,3(30,1)  
Critic Chance 4,75(7,44) / Critic Damage Multiplier 7,92(22,8), Loot Bonus 19,8(34,2)]

**[******Sasuke****/ Age 12 / Level 66  
****Physical Main Stat 103(127):****Strength 35(41) / Agility 52(70) / Endurance 16(16)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 82(128): ****Intelligence 37(62) / Will 24(30) / Wisdom 21(36)  
****Social Main Stat 60(77): ****Presence 17(20) / Perception 24(39) / Luck 19(19)]

**[******Kiba****/ Age 12 / Level 63  
****Physical Main Stat 88(124): ****Strength 37(59) / Agility 34(45) / Endurance 17(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 86(92): ****Intelligence 33(33) / Will 25(31) / Wisdom 28(28)  
****Social Main Stat 55(64): ****Presence 12(12) / Perception 29(38) / Luck 14(14)]

**[******Sakura****/ Age 12 / Level 62  
****Physical Main Stat 93(96): ****Strength 27(30) / Agility 51(51) / Endurance 15(15)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 85(121):****Intelligence 42(60) / Will 23(29) / Wisdom 20(32)  
****Social Main Stat 58(61): ****Presence 17(17) / Perception 23(26) / Luck 18(18)]

**Exam Team Breakout:**

****Team8:****Sensei Nara Ren(lv99), Sakura, Kiba, Lee(lv58)  
****Team 9:****Sensei Might Guy(lv99), Ino(lv53), Shino(lv54), Neji(lv58)  
****Team 10:**** Sensei Yuuhi Kurenai(lv83), Chouji(lv54), Tenten(lv55), Fuki(47)  
****Team 12:**** Sensei Akimichi Douto(lv82), Naoki(lv48), Tsukimaru(lv48), Ami(lv39)  
****Anbu******: **Mongoose/Uchiha Kagami(lv118), Alpha/Hatake Yagami

**Regular Team breakout:**

****Team 6:**** sensei Sarutobi Asuma, Isao(chuunin) Ino and Shino  
****Team 8:**** sensei Nara Ren, Ayame(chuunin) Kiba and Sakura  
****Team 9:**** sensei Might Guy, Neji, Lee and Shikamaru(chuunin)  
****Team 10:****sensei Yuuhi Kurenai,Tenten, Chouji and Hinata(chuunin)  
****Team Hatake:**** Kakashi, Inari(chuunin), Naruto(chuunin) and Sasuke(chuunin)**  
******Team Uchiha/Anbu Team Mongoose:****Uchiha Kagami, Hatake Yagami(chuunin/Anbu:Alpha)


	8. VII Echoes of War

****VII. Echoes of War****

"Fucker."  
The affirmation was furious, but rather cold – and while Yagami didn't hold back against the two_**kage**__**bunshin**_she didn't bother pursuing, her attention more on Sasuke's febrile form on the ground.  
"Blanche, will you be able to follow?" an affirmative bark, and the young Anbu turned toward the two arriving four man squads "The target has escaped, my nin-ken can guide you toward him to ensure no genin catch his attention."  
The two squad leaders nodded, Raccoon and his squad following the white nin-ken while Lynx paused briefly "Will you need assistance to get to the tower for medical assistance?"  
Yagami gestured them ahead "We'll be alright, check on the genin."

Lynx nodded and him and his squad disappeared as they hurried after Raccoon, and Yagami kneeled between Sasuke and Naruto, first noting that the blond was already healing, if slowly, and that Kurama finally felt awake to her ****Soul********Sense.****On the other side the situation was far more worrisome for the Uchiha, the boy even paler than usual, sweat on his temple, a frown on his face – heart-beat and chakra erratic...  
The white-haired girl frowned, as beyond the physical symptoms, her godly senses were letting her feel far more as the cursed seal Orochimaru had inflicted on him was trying to encroach on the boy's mind – and far more worryingly, nearly hidden beneath the layers of behavior changing instruction, power enhancing and other effects...

"A soul fragment, eh?"  
Her voice was calm now, eerily so – and the power swirling around her didn't feel human anymore.  
"Anko, come here."  
The tokubetsu jounin eyed the girl, but didn't hesitate. She'd just regretted a few minutes earlier not having trusted the girl earlier – and no matter how alien the girl now felt, her power felt strangely right to the kunoichi.  
Kagami was nearby too, looking fascinated – neither realizing that most mortals usually feared the cold call of the young goddess's powers.  
Both settled near the white-haired woman, who smiled calmly to Anko "This bastard marked you too, right?"  
"He did." Anko nodded, hands still on the swirling mark  
"He left something behind." the girl informed her, gently but firmly pushing her hand aside, the second one Sasuke's still bleeding own seal – her eyes now green with golden tomoes swirling in them, focused on the two black marks

Her eyes, Kagami realized easily, could clearly see far more than he did himself – despite his sharingan focused on the chakra flowing around the three in different colors...  
As for Yagami, she wasn't only Yagami right now, not only Tsukiko but Shadow herself in her mind, the powers – and indeed, her eyes were seeing far more than only the strands of chakra Kagami himself was seeing, watching also the dark speck's of the caster's soul and mind-altering effects he was trying to inflict on both Anko and Sasuke.  
She could all but hear the sweet promises and whispering to both, each clearly resisting on his own thanks to their own mental fortitude – making her both proud of Sasuke that was clearly beating the missing-nin's soul- fragment back as well as he could, and impressed by Anko who'd been holding the man's mind and soul at bay for years.

_"___It's time to change things."__ Shadow smiled, soul fragment desperately trying to resist her – but what soul could resist the call of Death  
The rest of the seal was still trying to work despite the lack of Orochimaru's soul fragment, and the young goddess called her powers to her, the gift she'd never realized before she was using now answering to her knowing call, Chaos's powers swirling around her in tune with Death's own in a mix of golden and green strands very familiar to her.

**[******Hallows**** skill reached level **65/100!**  
****Chaos**** skill reached **30/50!]**

The clearing around them went up in a swirl of chakra – and another power, far different – and the familiar black marking of sealing exploded in the ground around them, swirling, changing, before a dark shadow left both Anko and Sasuke, and the marking reduced down, now a familiar moon crescent centered in the heart of a chaos wheel.  
In the storm of power, Kagami felt his earlier genjutsu fall – but it didn't matter anymore, as Orochimaru was long gone, and by now, he was the only one still conscious in the clearing.  
He checked the unconscious people around him and breathed a sigh of relief as he confirmed to himself that by now, all were safe, only exhaustion keeping them down. He was about to sent a message – but two red-head were already showing up.

"I felt mother's powers." Inari explained, ignoring for now the surprised glance he was earning from the teen-aged girl he'd dragged along, his fellow Uzumaki having felt nearly as clearly as him the rush of power Yagami had felt  
Karin would know soon enough who Yagami was after all - because Inari had never hidden his own nature from his clan-mates, and that included his parents identities.  
"She... did something." Kagami answered, not really able to explain what had happened around him  
"She undid part of her bindings." the immortal noted "This isn't something she'll recover from just like that." he sighed "But given what father told me, it was bound to happen sooner or later."  
"What do you mean?" Kagami wondered, eyeing his apprentice worryingly now  
"Godly powers aren't meant to be used in the mortal realms." the oldest Uzumaki answered, his own body growing to be able to cradle his mother in his arms "But sometimes they are necessary." a worried frown "I only wish she didn't have to pay the price for those powers. Hasn't this current life-time been cruel enough with her already?"

Understanding what the other was doing, Padfoot managed to shrunk back to his smaller sized, jumping on his mistress before the immortal finished to rise up again – Karin nodded, and took Naruto, that was the nearest to her while Kagami dropped to take Sasuke, and all started to head back cautiously back toward the tower.

The trio was soon in the tower's sick bay's secondary room, having passed the genin on their way, the medic-nin bustling around them, soon confirming what they'd already realized – for now, nothing but rest could be done for the two chuunin and the young Anbu, whose body was on top coping with the rapid growing spurth she'd just gone through.  
Meanwhile, Hana had come from the next room, done with the healing she'd been called for and now ready to help Padfoot. She winced as she eyed the Grimm that was winning in a low voice "Yeah, I know old boy, it's not good."  
"You need help?" Inari asked  
"There aren't a lot of veterinarians in Konoha." the Inuzuka sighed  
"I know, but Ren is nearby, and he's good at general healing." Inari answered, already calling his father on ****Chaos********Game**** – the jounin coming out of the shadows a moment later, ready to help

The man sighed fondly as he witnessed the changes his mate had gone through "Three tails, eh..." he mused "I guess the binding weren't completely undone just yet at least." he focused his attention on Padfoot "That eye can be saved, but your vision is as good as gone for now."  
The nin-ken whimpered but didn't seem too surprised, and nuzzled the hands coated in sun flames to affirm his confidence in god's abilities.  
Ren and Hana didn't see the time flying in the moments that followed, an hour soon gone as they focused on healing Yagami's partner.  
Somewhen during the hour, Lynx and Raccoon dropped by the tower, reporting to Kagami since he was the one of the two Anbu still aware – Blanche had led them on until the outer boundaries of the village, by which time Orochimaru had managed to slip by them, but at least the missing-nin hadn't made contact with any other Konoha shinobi while inside the Forest of Death.

¤.¤.¤

Sakura woke up feeling still tired, having instinctively curled up against the nearest body in her sleep – the familiar breathing and soft sleepy whines telling her it was Kiba and Akamaru, another less familiar breathing informing her their third team-mate for the Exams wasn't too far too.  
The kunoichi cautiously untangled herself from the Inuzuka, groaning as she felt the wounds sustained during their fights and flight through the forest, healed, probably by Ino, but not yet completely gone.  
"Sakura-chan! You're awake!" she startled as Kiba and Akamaru realized she was up and awoke too, hugging the girl enthusiastically  
"Yeah." she smiled at the familiar outburst – usual, but maybe even louder than usual "How is everyone?"

"The medic healed Ami and Tenten. Ami should be awake in a few days, but her career as a field kunoichi is over." he winced "That bastard cut through way too many tendon, she won't have sequels in her daily life, but will never move better than a low-level chuunin, and that with intensive rehab." he explained  
Sakura nodded grimly – the girl was lucky to be alive after all, so a change in career wasn't the worse that could have happened to her – beside there were some desk-jobs for shinobi not quite fit for active duty anymore.  
"Tenten will be alright within the next few weeks." he forged on with a smile "Her leg was pretty bad but Ren-sensei dropped by and managed to help."  
"A jounin came?"  
"Hana was there too," a grateful smile "she told us that without you, Shiromaru wouldn't have made it." another smile "He'll have a bad scar, but he'll be in top form within the next few weeks too."

The pinkette smiled in relief – while she didn't know the small nin-ken, with Kiba in her team she'd become very familiar with Akamaru, and even if she couldn't speak to the dog like his partner could, she'd grown found of him and could only imagine how distressed she'd have been if the nin-ken had been in his cousin's place.  
"Apparently Orochimaru managed to get away," he frowned "But Naruto, Sasuke and even Yami-chan are still unconscious. They'll be fine!" he reassured her worried looking team-mate "But they haven't woke up just yet." he added honestly "Ino healed us as best as she could, she managed to filch some supply in the medic bay since they couldn't help us as long as we're in the Exam."  
"How long was I asleep?"  
"About twelve hours." the genin answered "We've still got nearly three days before the end of this part of the Exam, so we have time to rest."  
"Let's hope not too many people manage to pass so we can avoid some preliminaries." the girl sighed, the Inuzuka nodding fervently along

Just like Kiba had said, they spent the next few days waiting in the tower with the other teams that had finished the test – notably Gaara and his siblings that had managed to complete the test in the record time of an hour and twenty-three minutes.  
Finally – the time was up, and it was a perky looking Anko that had welcomed the few teams that had managed to complete the exam, a seal proudly displayed in the hollow of her neck, a green moon inscribed within a golden chaos wheel.  
"Alright maggots, you've survived the Forest of Death, congrats!" a feral smile "But don't celebrate too fast, as there's still one more test to go before you're over!" she pointed toward a rather sickly but stern looking shinobi  
"I'm Gekkou Hayate, tokubetsu jounin of Konoha, and proctor of the next part of the Exam." he eyed them "But be warned, if you want to give up, now's the time, from now on this is an individual exam."

The genin, all more or less wounded and tired, shared glances between them – and the same genin who'd talked to them before the first exam stepped forward with a contrite smile toward his two team-mates "I'll withdraw." at the surprised exclamations from the other two he explained "I'm afraid I was hurt during the Forest and was only holding on for you guys, but it's alright for me to drop out now. Next time for sure!"  
"Very well." the man nodded "The hokage will be the one to tell you more about this exam."  
The familiar silhouette of Sarutobi Hiruzen stepped forward, two familiar Anbu a step behind him. The speech he gave was rather similar, if less harsh to the one the kazekage had held during the previous Chuunin Exam, comparing the examinations to war just like the other had, before informing them, without much surprise for those that had already participated before to the exam, that the last test would be a tournament held one month later.  
With that, lots were drawn and the genin finally free to leave the tower, and the Forest, to rest then start training.

¤.¤.¤

Naruto and Sasuke startled awake in the same breath, both sitting in their bed before looking around them, realizing swiftly that they were in a hospital room – and on a third bed, a form both very familiar yet confusing...  
"Wait wait wait... There's no way we were asleep that long!" the blond protested loudly, before wincing as his throat had been dry with disuse  
An amused laugh answered that, and they realized that a familiar Anbu had entered – or rather two familiar Anbu, even if the second wasn't often in the village...  
Raven and Crow, or in regular life – Nara Ren and Uchiha Itachi.

Sasuke smiled at the sigh of the mask, mind going back to the day he'd been revealed the full truth about their clan's massacre by the hokage himself and the Anbu commander, Kagami – as they'd apparently previously agreed to do once he'd been promoted to chuunin.  
His mind at first had flown into denial as the old and hokage had explained about what had led to the tragic occurrence – why would his clan want to rebel against the village they'd all but founded?  
Of course, he'd swiftly remembered the revelations from Inari back when they'd found him alone in Uzu no Kuni, and it suddenly made much more sense.  
More shocking had been to see the leader of their village bow to him as he apologized for Danzo's action. Sasuke had been incredibly angry at the already dead elder, but also vindicated as after a shared glance, Kagami had briefly explained to him the basis about the truth behind the man's death.

While he would have preferred for the damn man not to be remembered as a respected elder but rather as the mad man he was, he could understand why the hokage hadn't done it – and it would be a bit hypocritical of him to insist of telling the truth about Danzo when the Sandaime had similarly protected his dead clan-members memories despite the fact they'd been plotting against him.  
But the best in finally knowing the truth – had been seeing his brother again.  
Itachi didn't spent much time in Konoha anymore, as officially he was still wanted for rehabilitation by the Konoha hunters – but behind his Anbu mask, Crow did take some missions, having been mentored a few years under Kagami before the man had made him try his hands at medical jutsu.  
His brother, always so calm and composed had been truly smiling as he talked about the few lessons he'd been able to follow, but sadly he couldn't afford a lot of them since his main mission was one he wasn't allowed to say much about, that took him out of the village most of the time under his cover as a missing-nin.

"Don't worry, it's only been a week." Ren reassured them as he took off his mask after closing the shutters and activating some seals that made chakra surge around the room – at his nod, Itachi removed his mask too  
"What happened?"  
"What do you remember?" the jounin asked back  
"Orochimaru was toying with us." Naruto answered with a frown, chakra spiking as he pronounced the name "And it got me angry, and awoke the Kyuubi." Naruto frowned "After that, he got me good and I ended up in my mindscape until I managed to be healed enough..."  
"He did something to me." Sasuke added with his own frown "After that, pain, then... darkness, and some kind of strange visions, as if he was trying to take control of me..." a smile "Then I saw Yagami in my dreams, except she looked different, and she kicked his ass."

The two Anbu nodded, and Ren explained "That thing he did to you is called the cursed seal, and it has a 90% chance of death." the two chuunin's eyes widened at the affirmation "I can't really tell you what happened as only Kagami and Anko-san were there, but apparently something in those seals displeased the __bambina__, so she used her powers to change them."  
"Mitarashi-san has been coming to see Yagami-chan everyday since then." Itachi added "She was also someone who was marked by this curse, and it apparently held her abilities back quite a lot as a good portion of her mental abilities were focused on keeping Orochimaru at bay in her mind on a daily basis because of the thing." he raised an impressed eyebrow "I'd wondered how someone stuck as a tokubetsu jounin for years had managed to become the apprentice of a Sannin back before Orochimaru left the village, but it clearly wasn't a mistake as in the few days since she awoke her abilities have already shot up."  
"So it really was Orochimaru I saw in my mind?"  
"It was." Ren nodded

"And... Why does she look like that?" Naruto asked "That's Yami-chan, right?"  
"It is." Ren nodded with a smile that didn't quite hide his worry "She... Had to use some powers during this fight, it left it's mark on her."  
"It's my fault, then?" Sasuke realized with a down-hearted expression  
"It isn't." the Nara contradicted "She grew during her fight against Orochimaru to save Kagami, and be it saving him or saving you, those were both choices she made on her own."  
The young dark-haired chuunin didn't look quite convinced, but refrained himself from protesting, realizing after reflecting about it that he didn't doubt either Naruto or him would have used all the powers they could too, to save the other, or the rest of their friends – whatever the consequences on themselves.

"How is she?" he settled on asking  
"Asleep." Ren answered "Those powers were tiring for her, but she'll be alright with rest."  
"How much?"  
The young god shrugged helplessly, before announcing with a smile "Still, there is one good thing that came out of that damn Forest!"  
"Ah?"  
"Inari found an Uzumaki girl from Kusa!" his smile was rather scary as he explained "They did try to get their hands back on her but it was quite clear that she wasn't treated well by them, and as clan head, the brat was in his right so Karin's been staying at the Inuzuka clan compound with the others!"  
The blond's eyes widened at the announce, and he exclaimed loudly "Yatta!" before coughing, his throat protesting once more against his natural loudness

Sasuke and Naruto had been discharged the day after their awakening, and had gone back to the Inuzuka clan compound, where they'd been welcomed and fussed over by Tsume in her own rough way.  
They'd met with Karin, that while initially shy was soon proving she had the famous Uzumaki temper, getting along like a house of fire with Sakura and Kiba, and founding a good mentor in Iruka when they realized that Kusa had really neglected her training, using her only for her healing abilities.  
The two chuunin were soon busy again as the village was preparing itself for the arrival of not only Rasa, the Kazekage, but also Onoki, the Tsuchikage and the unknown, even if suspected, Otokage – while the genin were all training.  
Even if they weren't in the Exam anymore, Chouji, Tenten and Fuki, but also Naoki and Tsukimaru were dropping on the now traditional Saturday group training that was growing more and more crowded – not that anyone in the Inuzuka compound complained, the rather gregarious clan on the contrary enjoying training by their fellow Konoha shinobi's side and sharing knowledge or tips.

Anko was now a regular at said training too, and they soon realized that the girl was now a holder of a lighter version of****Chaos********Game****, with some unique perks directly related to the changed seal she was now proudly displaying in place of the curse Orochimaru had placed on her.  
Sasuke, as the one who shared those perks with her, had been put in charge of guiding her a bit about the godly gift, while asking her more about the curse she was so happy to be rid of. The violet-haired had eyed him seriously for a second before answering "This isn't something I'd tell anyone, but you nearly suffered through what I lived with for years, so you ought to know from what you've been saved." her eyes were far away, and her hand to her neck in a clearly reflexive move  
The Uchiha nodded seriously.

"The 90% death rate, and that pain, one like you've never known before are only the beginning... After that, the pain become a constant companion, never really leaving, and you've got to learn to control you own chakra for fear of making flaring the seal if you use too much at one time..." a sigh "And of course, that fucking voice whispering in the back of your head day and night, promising you power if only you give in..." a snort "I know the bastard, and no power he'd give would be free."  
Sasuke nodded, not to surprised – while he hadn't seen Yagami and the other when they'd just been rescued contrarily to Naruto, he'd lived through their flash-backs and multiple nightmare over the years, not to mention Yagami's chilling account of her last days in Orochimaru's labs...

¤.¤.¤

"I hope those exams will be as interesting as the last one, eh, Rasa, Hiruzen." Onoki mused as the genin contestants were entering the arena for the opening speech  
"I'm sure it'll be memorable." the hokage answered with a smile  
"Don't think your genin will have it that easy this time, my brats trained hard this time!" Onoki warned  
"And I have full confidence in my children." the kazekage added serenely  
Hiruzen had to hid a wince as he could guess the annoyance of the man near him hidden under a Konoha Anbu mask – but really, he too would be angry if the man who'd tried to murder him dared to talk about his own children.  
The proctor entered the arena, chuunin would-be aligned in front of him.

"I am Shiranui Genma, proctor of this tournament. In here, my word is law!" he affirmed  
The genin shared a surprised look as they realized that the proctor had changed – but now wasn't the time to ask about it.  
"The rules are simple, you fight inside the arena, until one of you either die, is unable to continue or forfeit." he explained succinctly, before announcing "Anyway, there's been a change to the program so take a look to know who you'll be fighting."  
The genin were surprised, and a bit annoyed as this change potentially destroying any strategy they'd devised for their fights...  
"It's really too bad two of your genin had to forfeit." Hiruzen amicably said to the man whose traits were mostly hidden that he so suspected to be his former apprentice's _**bunshin**_  
"That's the problem with the young generation." the other answered with an affected sigh "They train too hard and hurt themselves."  
"Bah! That means their jounin-sensei failed to teach them correctly." Onoki contradicted with his usual harshness, making a tick mark appear on the other's brow

¤.¤.¤

**"******Haruno Sakura versus Arata, fight!"****  
Both genin jumped at the call – Arata forward, Sakura on the side.  
In the six months that had gone by since the last exam, both had grown, that was clear.  
Arata impressed the pinkette by identifying the discreet genjutsu she'd layered on him after her second volley of senbon, something that denoted an unexpected subtlety from the rather brash brawler.  
His traps, while they had progressed, still couldn't compare to Naruto's or even to Inari's pranks around the Inuzuka Compound, and as such the Konoha kunoichi found herself avoiding them with more instincts than thoughts, while parrying the strong taijutsu style of the Suna shinobi.

Her body acting nearly by itself, the pinkette's mind was flying through strategies to be able to turn the table against the other since she hadn't quite expected the brawler to both avoid her poisoned senbon and drop the genjutsu against him.  
The girl, as used as she was to spar against her friend, found herself rather surprised to be able to keep up far better than she expected against the brawler.  
"That girl..." Hana mused from the spectator area, where she'd come with Tsukimaru and Naoki, the young Inuzuka still too stressed about her nin-ken to stray too far from a veterinary "She doesn't even realize what she's doing, is she?"  
"You mean Kiba didn't teach her?" the other Inuzuka asked, surprised, intriguing Naoki who focused himself on the fight  
"Her fighting style is rather similar to yours." he realized after a moment  
"She has perfect recall and trains with an Inuzuka." Hana explained, some pride for her brother's team-mate's who'd taken so well to their clan's ways and grown tremendously as a kunoichi since her graduation

And indeed – Sakura was, unknowingly at first, using the forms of the _Tsumeken_, the Inuzuka's taijutsu style. In the arena, the girl's eyes widened as she too realized what she was doing, then she smiled, an idea coming to her, and she filched some weapons in her pouch.  
"Scalpels?" Arata couldn't help but asked as he eyed the rather flimsy looking weapons  
Sakura's smile made him repress a shudder – and chakra flared around the girl as she used it to enhanced her whole body in a replacement of the _**Beast**__**Mimicry**__**Art**_ used by the dog clan.  
The next moment, she was launching herself at the Suna genin, methodically pushing him back until he was near the area where he'd laid his traps earlier, closing most way of escape – then, with a last surge of chakra, she rushed forward, adding a twist to her movements a second before hitting.  
"That's _**Tsuga**_!" Kiba enthusiastically proclaimed from the contestant area "She made herself claws and used them like a true Inuzuka!"

"Shouldn't you be annoyed she all but stole a clan jutsu?" Temari asked, clearly intrigued about the reaction  
"We Inuzuka don't really care about clans secret." the feral boy explained "It's just that people don't have the abilities to use our jutsu... But Sakura-chan... Despite not having our abilities, she made it work for herself, that's fucking impressive!" a secret smile "Besides, she's nearly an Inuzuka in everything but name anyway."  
"Oh?" the Sand kunoichi laughed and teased "Is that romance in the air?"  
Kiba blushed crimson at the comment, and denied "Nothing like that! It's just that she did a great service for the clan recently, and well, she was already my team-mate..."  
"Some clan do use honorary adoptions." Ino mused "Even if she didn't tell me anything about it..."  
"We're waiting for Yami-chan to be better, so we didn't tell her anything yet." Kiba explained with a shrug  
The blond girl nodded, assuring him she wouldn't tell anything either – it was, after all, clan matter, no matter how easy-going the Inuzuka could be about those.

¤.¤.¤

**"******Inuzuka Kiba versus Suzume, fight!"****  
In the arena, the Inuzuka nin didn't waste any time calling for _**"Shikyaku no Jutsu!"**_, feeling his nails grow into claws, teeth turn into fangs, easily dropping beneath the swift attack the kenjutsu user hadn't wasted a second on launching toward him.  
As she'd already proved in the previous Exam, the Iwa kunoichi was skilled, and just like Kiba specialized in speed – but where Neji had been so clearly disadvantaged against her because of his taijutsu, Kiba, between his nin-ken's partner and the far more flexible ways of the _Tsumeken_, wasn't as completely held at a distance by Suzume.  
Far from stupid, the girl realized quickly that while she did manage to hit Kiba more often, she couldn't avoid all the attacks Akamaru and him launched at her – and neither's claws were forgiving.

"One-handed hand-signs," Sasuke noticed from his position "impressive."  
With a call of _**"Doton: Domu!"**_the girl's skin darkened noticeably, and with the next attack, Akamaru was violently pushed back by the same attack that hadn't left a mark the moment before. The nin-ken whimpered but got back on his feet, calling a short but reassuring bark to his partner. Kiba, that had been rather worried, smiled in relief and nodded his acknowledgment of the call none but him could understand in the arena, chakra flaring around him and hand-signs flowing as he called _**"Katon: Tsuuga!"**_.  
The reinforced Iwa nin and the flaming Konoha nin opposed each other for a moment, blade straining against the chakra reinforced arms for an instant before fiery claws found their way to her torso.

Finally, with a startled cry, Suzume was the one to lose, violently pushed back, and struggling to get back to her feet, wound bleeding enough that, after eyeing her body with a sigh, she called forfeit.  
Kiba, who'd picked Akamaru along the way helped her back to the entrance of the competitor area where the medic-nin were waiting, earning a grateful smile from the girl.  
"Can't believe I've lost again." she sighed  
"Technically, you tied against Neji last time." Kiba remembered with a reassuring smile "Beside, my win wasn't that easy this time either, you are more than skilled enough."

¤.¤.¤

**"******Rock Lee versus Noburo!"****  
The green-clad genin smiled brightly at the Iwa genin that replaced Hideki, that had been promoted during the previous Exam, in the Iwa team  
"You look like a taijutsu user too! Let's have a good fight!"  
The other nodded more sedately, but smiling too, and both fell into their stance with the ease of practice.  
While their match started rather like a simple spar, both genin were progressively going faster, Lee smiling happily as the Iwa genin was managing to keep up with him in a way few other genin and chuunin could, and jumping back, he dropped his weights.

"Is it me or are those even heavier than last time?" Onoki mumbled "Is his jounin-sensei trying to kill him?"  
"Lee have his weaknesses, but he more than makes up to them with hard-work and sturdiness." the hokage answered  
"That strange boy is good," the Tsuchikage agreed "but don't underestimate Noburo."  
Indeed – while Lee had been dropping his weight, the Iwa nin had gone through similar hand-signs to those Suzume had used earlier – making it clear that he was probably the one who'd taught the jutsu to his team-mate as his version was clearly more mastered than hers, as he proved in the next instant as both taijutsu users clashed once more, arena shuddering under their blows.  
Still, has good as his reinforced body was, it was becoming clearer by the second that Lee could see go further than Noburo. Realizing that, the Iwa genin sped up through the hands-signs of a jutsu.

_**"Doton: Kengan no Jutsu!"**__  
_Whispers erupted as the boy's hand and forearm were covered in a layer of rock, sending Lee flying back under the power of the attack – a jutsu that was known, among others, for the fact the Tsuchikage himself did make regular use of it...  
From the near hole in the arena's wall he'd been pushed to Lee smiled as he got up "You were kind enough to show me great skills, I'll have to reciprocate."  
Bandages flying around under the sheer ki pressure, the green-clad genin rushed forward, launching the other in the air with a fist and following by three consecutive hit, each launching him higher...  
_**"Omote Renge!"**_  
Once more, the ground shook under the impact, only Lee left standing in the arena.

"To think that one so young has already started on the path of the Hachimon." the fake Kazekage mused  
"Well, Lee is famous for devoting himself exclusively to taijutsu." Hiruzen commented innocently  
"Yes, even if such a single-minded focus is dangerous, after all, how would he react against an opponent he couldn't get close to?" the man mused  
The exchange made Onoki eye both kage, catching the eyes of the hokage, who gave him a familiar smile. The old kage smiled in answer, feeling his blood boil in anticipation – the other hadn't lied, those Exams would be interesting...  
And this time, it seemed, the genin wouldn't be the only ones to stretch their limbs, if the fact an impostor was among them was a good indication of the situation.

¤.¤.¤

**"******Hyuuga Neji versus Satsuki!"****  
The Suna kunoichi jumped back as the fight was called, sending a gust of wind toward the Hyuuga prodigy with a wave of a war-fan.  
"Has the boy learned nothing of last time?" Onoki mused after a few minutes  
Indeed, the fight was rather reminiscent of the previous exam, the pale-eyed boy on the defensive, despite showing off excellent taijutsu abilities and a truly impressive mastery of his clan's jutsu and taijutsu style.  
Except...

"That's not it." Hiruzen contradicted "Look closer."  
The elder kage focused on the fight once more, eyes widening "That cunning little beast!"  
Indeed – this time, Neji was only pretending to be pushed back, and had little by little managed to push his opponent in on of the most damaged area of the arena.  
_**"Doton: Sokonashi Numa!"**_  
Satsuki let out a startled cry a the ground around her turned into mud. She tried to jump back with a surge of chakra – but it was too late, the mere instant she spent stuck to the ground had been more than enough for Neji, whose range she was now in.

_**"Hakke Rokujouyon shou!"**__  
_The genius came to a stop, and the match was called, then he stepped by the beaten girl, helping her open back the tenketsu he'd ruthlessly closed the moment before.  
"You'll have some pains when modeling chakra for the day, but since the tenketsu weren't closed too long you'll be alright in a few days." he reassured her, knowing that probably was her fear – after all, since only the Hyuuga could see the tenketsu, and as such open and close them, the aftermath of their jutsu weren't always well understood  
The girl smiled a weak thanks at the reassurance, clearly shaken and barely standing on her feet now that the battle was over.

¤.¤.¤

**"******Sabaku no Gaara versus Kin!"****  
The Oto girl paled as the match was called – and called forfeit without wasting a second, sending a glare both fearful and challenging toward the booth where the fake Kazekage and the Otokage were glaring at her.

¤.¤.¤

**"******Yamanaka Ino versus Yoshimori!"****  
In the arena, the blond immediately dropped a smoke bomb, then from within the cloud, a large volley of senbon came flying.  
The Iwagakure genin managed to avoid most of them – save one that hit his hand. For a second, the boy stared at his hand in horror, and started to scream in terror, while Ino rushed in, kunai in hand – but a moment before she could knock him out, he managed to snap out of the _**genjutsu**_ the girl had laid while hidden that was making him believe the senbon he'd been hit with contained a virulent poison eating away at his very flesh...  
The kunoichi winced as the other, snapping out of his panic, recovered quickly enough to dodge her kunai, then jumped back, numerous weapon appearing in his own hands.

Despite her good start, Ino found herself on the defensive, having to doge the rain of sharp weapons sent toward her. With her abilities being mainly supporting ones, Ino wasn't that used to fighting alone, even if she did spent some time honing her secondaries to be able to take care of herself – and she was more used to defend against _**taijutsu**_ specialists, with Neji in her team, than a _**bukijutsu**_ user like Yoshimori was.  
Soon, she was starting to tire – even if the other was too – and with an instant of inattention, she was caught in a _**genjutsu**__,_ and knocked out.  
The Iwa genin stood with a sneer upon his defeated opponent "Konoha looser." he taunted the girl that couldn't hear him

"That boy." Onoki groaned "Does he realize he got his ass handed to him by a Konoha kunoichi last time?" a sigh "And here I though he had grown up a bit."  
"His skills have improved." Hiruzen commented "But being too confident may cause him prejudice later."  
"I don't see why you're so harsh on the boy." the fake Rasa commented "The boy won after all."  
"And the match wasn't a bad show from both genin." Onoki confirmed "It's that disgraceful display at the end that's making me doubt the wisdom of promoting him. I don't need a hot-headed peacock causing a war because he insulted the wrong person."

¤.¤.¤

**"******Aburame Shino versus Sabaku no Kankuro."****  
In the arena, all stood still for a second – then in the same moment, Kankuro's puppet rushed toward the cloud of insects that were already taking form in the arena.  
The insect bunshin formed just in time to parry the attack from the puppet, and Kankuro let out an annoyed twitch as he realized that the clone was impossible to differentiate from Shino himself – and, as he realized after another attack from his puppet, wouldn't be dismissed as easily as other bunshin.  
Then, the puppet user's eyes widened in surprise as his puppet's movement became erratic...  
"Chakra eaters." he soon realized, immediately reacting by letting completely drop his puppet, instead rushing toward the two Konoha shinobi in front of him, a volley of kunai flying toward them

Shino was more of a tracker than a fighter, but he still knew how to defend himself, as such the weapons were easily avoided – that is until the weapon he'd avoided came back toward him.  
The young Aburame's insect bunshin fell apart as the insects fled the poison on the kunai, and Shino realized that the Suna genin had attached chakra string to his weapon before sending them, making them turn back toward him once he'd avoided them.  
In the moment of distraction, Kankuro had attached his string back to his puppet, and sent it once more toward the shinobi that was now alone. Shino avoided the first few attack, if barely, then with a call of _**"Bosui no Jin!"**_his insects flew toward Kankuro himself, aggregating together in a spiraling, moving whip that avoided the puppet to target the shinobi directly.

Kankuro frown as he saw the insect coming his way, but took advantage of the fact his puppet was free to attack to activate a hidden trap, a poisoned kunai launched from the puppet's mouth.  
The two attack hit at the same time, the Sand shinobi shuddering as he felt his chakra being drained while Shino stumbled under the powerful poison on the kunai's blade that was now nearly hilt deep in his shoulder.  
The two boy raised their hand to forfeit at the same time, so the proctor jumped in to call a tie - Kankuro giving the other genin's a counter to his poison as soon as the beetles left him.

"It is unusual to see a puppet master adapting so fast, even dropping his puppet during the fight..." Hiruzen mused "That boy is talented, he's skilled enough to be a chuunin."  
"Yet he didn't win, I'm feeling rather disappointed in him." the fake Kazekage mused  
"Well, just like Shino didn't expect his adaptability, he didn't expect an Aburame that young to have a good offensive jutsu." Onoki guessed easily "Those insect-boys tend to be really bad in open fight when they're young."  
"And both realized they were done for with that last attack before the proctor needed to stop them." Hiruzen concluded with a satisfied smile "They maybe a bit green still, but both are clearly chuunin material, if they're not promoted this time, they'll be the next time for sure."

¤.¤.¤

**"******Tsurugi Misumi versus Sabaku no Temari."****  
The Konoha genin rushed toward the Suna kunoichi – but while jumping back, she'd deployed her large fan and with a call of _**"Futon: Kazekiri no jutsu!"**_ a large wind blade was sent by the fan toward the boy, who barely dodged by bending his body around the gale in a way that clearly wasn't natural before taunting the girl "You'll have to do better than that!"  
The girl answered by a cold smile – then with a call of_**"Kamaitachi no jutsu!"**_it was multiple wind current that rushed around the arrogant genin, carving his body with multiple cuts as he was stuck in the jutsu

She smirked as he finally fell to the ground, beaten "Was that good enough for you?"  
"Well, that was some quick work." Hiruzen noted "Your daughter has an impressive mastery of her _**futon**_ affinity for one so young."  
"And your genin was a joke." Onoki laughed "What's the point of having an impressive ability like this body of his if he's too arrogant to use it properly?"  
"Indeed." the hokage agreed "It's a wonder his jounin-sensei let him enter the exam." a frown "Let's hope his team-mate is better, otherwise I'll have to have a talk with them."

¤.¤.¤

**"******Akadou Yoroi versus Takashi!"****  
In the arena, two puppets were deployed, fending off the Konoha genin that was rushing toward Takashi.  
From the contestants area, Kankuro observed intently his fellow puppet user.  
"He's progressed since last time." he admitted to his sister, that was eyeing the fight too "He controls more strands, even if I'm still better than him."  
"Loosing last time taught him a lesson then."  
"He's also improved his puppets." her brother added as a few kunai were sent toward the leaf shinobi "They only had very basic traps before."

Indeed – Takashi had improved, and while Yoroi tried to use a few doton and suiton to close the gap between them, probably for a taijutsu battle, he never managed to do it, and soon began to get annoyed, the anger making him do beginner mistakes and giving a rather easy win for the puppet user.  
"Well, that was a complete disaster for that boy." Onoki assessed "I don't know what he was trying to do, but not changing tactic once he saw it wasn't working is the most basic skill for a team leader. Or anyone that want to survive in the field, really."

¤.¤.¤

_Doton_ users were called to repair the arena for the second round, and soon the proctor was calling ****"Haruno Sakura versus Inuzuka Kiba!"****  
The two team-mate faced each other for a second, a smile on their lips, then started the fight, Sakura sending her customary senbon toward the boy, while Kiba automatically dodged the familiar attack, rolling on the ground to activate his beast art mimicry while flaring his chakra to broke the genjutsu hidden in the middle of the waves of pointy weapons.  
Sakura, not surprised that the other had managed so well to dodge both poison and genjutsu, was already dodging the movement with the proficiency of someone familiar with the other's taijutsu style. She threw two bombs to the ground – smoke, then a spicy odor filing the area, making Kiba sneeze loudly and Akamaru whine pitifully.

Hidden in the smoke, she went through a series of hand-signs – and had disappeared when the smoke started to disperse a bit. Kiba and Akamaru looked around, nose now useless. It was the dog's keen ears that alerted them an instant before they got caught in the next attack – Kiba jumping just as Sakura jumped out of the ground in which she'd been hidden up until then.  
"That's a new jutsu!" an impressed Kiba mused as they eyed each other again, a few steps away one from the other "But rather chakra intensive for your reserve, right?"  
A confident smile "I've tripled my reserve since we've become a team Kiba, don't worry about them!"  
"Right." the other nodded "But you're not the only one who've progressed!"  
With that, Akamaru and him rushed toward her with a call of **"**_**Yoton: Gatsuuga!"**_

Sakura eyes widened – she knew that Kiba struggled with elemental jutsu, and even integrating his _**katon**_ affinity with the Tsuuga had been really difficult, but to think he'd manage a secondary element by doing a combination jutsu with Akamaru! The idea was pure genius – and so simple it was a wonder no one in the clan had even thought about it before, even if it must have taken quite a bit of training to manage.  
Still, the attack was already dangerous enough alone that she didn't want to have a taste of it combined with the dangerous lava affinity, so she focused, chakra surging around her just like she'd done in the previous match, and instead of trying to dodge directly, she rushed toward them.  
"Does she have a death wish?" Naoki found himself wondering in the spectator area

A wildly laughing Tsume contradicted him "Nope, she's just demonstrating just how much she understands our fighting style for one not born among us."  
The Uchiha turned toward his team-mate, who was watching intently the exchange – and indeed, he realized, the girl had managed to somehow pass between both nin-ken and genin's attack, in a move that looked surprisingly fluid.  
"Quite a few of the Inuzuka combination attack with their nin-ken require a good harmonization between partners." Tsukimaru explained "They must breath together, move together, nearly think together... Because she knows Kiba-kun and Akamaru so well, she managed to synchronize too, since the _**Gatsuuga**_ is a combination of two _**Tsuuga**_, she combined her own _**Tsuuga**_ to theirs; thus becoming a part of the jutsu, rather than a target for it."

"That's..." Naoki eyes widened at the explanation "This girl is a genius, how come we didn't hear about her before?"  
"Sakura-chan was infected by the terrifying virus of fangirlism up until she graduated." Tsume explained with an amused smile, the Uchiha not really able repress a shudder, suddenly remembering that indeed, the girl, like most of the genin that had graduated earlier, had been part of his classroom once upon a time  
"How did she break out of it?" he couldn't help but wonder – after all Ami hadn't, and that had nearly caused the girl's death  
"A mix of the right jounin-sensei, good kunoichi role model, and death defying training-regiment."  
In the arena, Kiba and Sakura were facing each other, both now looking worse for the wear, a few scratches here and there, and each having used up a good amount of their chakra reserve.  
Still, both were still eyeing each other seriously, each going through their option mentally.  
"I'm not quite done yet." Sakura smiled

Kiba smiled, posture relaxed but ready to react, and the pinkette was the one to initiate the next attack, kunai in one hand, while weaving multiple genjutsu around both of them, Kiba breaking through each of them nearly as it was laid as they spared – until the moment when the boy, at everyone's surprise, stumbled.  
Still – the Inuzuka was good enough to take advantage of the tumble to roll to the ground, managing to take Sakura down with him.  
"I forfeit." the girl admitted as she was stuck under her team-mate's body, claws at the ready near her neck  
"So," Kiba wondered as he helped her up "what was up with this last _**genjutsu**_? I mean a _**genjutsu**_ can't make things real, can it?"  
"A _**genjutsu**_ can't." a smile "But I didn't cast a _**genjutsu**_ on you."

"What do you mean? I stumbled on roots I was the only one to... see... Don't tell me..."  
"The _**genjutsu**_ was cast on the arena. You saw a real jutsu and thought it was an illusion." Sakura smiled "My primary affinity are earth and water after all."  
_"__**Mokuton**__."_ he whispered, stunned "You've mastered _**mokuton**__?"_  
"I've mastered nothing." she corrected him "But I've started to manage my secondary element, yes." she smiled, then taunted with a smile "Without nin-ken."  
The other spluttered at the teasing, then maturely stuck his tongue out at her.

¤.¤.¤

**"******Hyuuga Neji versus Rock Lee!"****  
This, once more, would be a taijutsu match, that much was pretty clear from the start.  
Except, of course, that Konoha nin always were surprising – and if their rivalry has started simply around taijutsu, both Lee and Neji had long since progressed, and behind the rather cold persona of the Hyuuga, now real friendship could be felt. With that, he'd stopped underestimating Lee, despite the disadvantage the boy had, and as such didn't intent to hold back.  
That much was clear when five minute into a rather equal taijutsu match, the Hyuuga branch member made the ground shake under them with a _**doton**_ – Lee jumping to avoid the attack, and in the process taking his bo out.

While neither had yet used the rather impressive technique they'd demonstrated against their previous opponent – Lee was proving far more adept with the weapon than people could have guessed, using it both as weapon, and acrobatic tool to use his taijutsu moves.  
"What the... isn't Lee supposed to be unable to use chakra?" Ino wondered  
"Not completely unable." Sakura corrected as she closed her water-bottle "After all, he can do both tree and water walking."  
"Right... But this, this was clearly a jutsu, no?"  
"Nope." Kiba was the one to contradict "this was fuuinjutsu."  
"Since when does Lee know any fuuinjutsu?"

"He doesn't really, but he worked hard with Inari to learn just a few of them, that he stores for use in battle." Sakura explained "Seals that are deemed useless by most shinobi... But for someone like him, that can't use regular jutsu..."  
"He can instead use those seals." Kiba completed "Of course, he's only got a limited quantity of them on him at any time, and they can't be controlled as finely as a jutsu can... But it's still a real boost to his arsenal of abilities."  
Indeed – in the arena, the simple fireball had taken Neji by surprise, and the boy had barely avoided it, still gaining a few nasty burns on the left arm.  
Of course, Lee himself wasn't unharmed either, a kunai having left a nasty gash in his thigh earlier, the same leg having at least a few tenketsu closed.  
Two focused pair of eyes shared a glance, and they were rushing toward each other.

"Is that..."  
_"Seimon,_ the third gate." Hiruzen nodded at Onoki's outburst  
"I can't believe a boy of thirteen year old can do that!"  
"Oh, he's not done." the hokage mused "Nor is his team-mate, I'd say."  
Indeed, Neji was bracing himself, two large shrouds encasing his hands.  
_"Juuho Shoushiken."_  
"Another main branch jutsu." the hokage laughed, amused at the headache Neji must be given to the old men controlling the Hyuuga clan  
But Lee jumped, too fast to be seen, landing in Neji's blind spot before launching the boy up _**"Ura Renge!"**_

"So he can even do the reverse lotus... Wait that means..." Onoki trailed  
"That he can open five of the eight gates." the fake Kazekage was the one to conclude, just as stunned  
"Not bad, for a boy seen as a failure during his academy days, eh?" the hokage smiled  
Indeed, in the arena, Neji had been dropped to the ground with a fist that had shocked the entire ground – but he wasn't in a good way either, all the limits dropped thanks to the opening of the gate now catching up with him as his body scream at him under the pain of broken bones and torn muscles.  
In the hole in the ground, Neji managed to get up, just as bad as him – both boys smiled, and dropped to the ground, unconscious but a large smile on their face

"I can't believe those two idiots went that far." Ino sighed, a fond smile on her face despite the comment  
"I think they wanted to have a real fight, witnessed by all, rather than fight for their promotion." Sakura mused "Both knew the jutsu they were using wasn't any easier on the user than the target."  
"You mean even Neji..." Kiba asked  
"He hasn't really mastered that jutsu he used, so his arms will have pretty bad chakra burns." Ino was the on to confirm "I think he's been contaminated by Lee's enthusiasm." a fond shrug "Those idiotic battle nuts."

¤.¤.¤

**"******Sabaku no Gaara versus Yoshimori!"****  
Sakura yawned as both boys were soon facing each other in the arena.  
"Moron, he thinks he's got a chance because he was lucky against Ino."  
"I lost." Ino pointed out "It's not luck on his part, it's skill."  
"It was his second time in those exam, learning to vary his skills was the strict minimum he could do given how badly Hinata-chan had pummeled him last time, yet he's still so arrogant... Plus Gaara is the strongest among us right now, something he should know between his time in Suna and the preparatory month we just had."

Indeed – the Ichibi jinchuuriki didn't have to move from his starting position, leaning his head on the left to let a kunai fly past him, his sand blocking all the others, before simply closing in and dropping him to the ground with a fist encased in sand in a mimicry of the technique used earlier by Noburo.  
The match hadn't lasted a minute.

¤.¤.¤

**"******Sabaku no Temari versus Takashi!"****  
The wind user smiled wickedly at her fellow Suna genin – while she had nothing in particular against the boy, there was simply no way she was loosing against a boy her brother had clearly declared to be less skilled than him. After all, no matter how proud of his skills Kankuro was, he still was way too respectful of the puppet mastery art to lie about it.  
Within instants of the fight starting, she was already seeing what Kankuro had pointed out earlier about Takashi – the boy, while skilled, has clearly less control on his two puppets than Kankuro on his own, which meant that while against an unsuspecting opponent he was efficient, he just wasn't up to par against someone who knew how to fight against puppets.

With a gust of wind, she was jumping, her large war fan now used to float above the arena, before calling _**"Kuchyoose: Katamari!"**_  
A giant, white furred weasel appeared, easily weaving between the two puppets before taking Takashi himself down with on hit of his wind enhanced sickle.  
"Wow," Sakura mused as the winner was called "summoning as a genin, that's impressive..."  
"Meh, the only reason sister is still a genin is because father didn't want to have us in separate teams." Kankuro shrugged "She should have been a chuunin since years otherwise."  
"That's still impressive." Kiba contradicted "After all, gaining a summoning contract isn't that easy; and having a personal summon is difficult too."

¤.¤.¤

Once more, **doton** user were out – and soon the proctor was announcing "Since there are only three contestants left, this round will be a free for all between our last contestants!"  
Kiba, Temari and Gaara shared a glance as they were called to the arena.  
****"Sabaku no Gaara versus Sabaku no Temari versus Inuzuka Kiba!"******  
**Temari and Kiba jumped immediately as a wave of sand rushed toward them.  
"Hey, dog-boy, if we want to have a chance against my brother..."  
"We have to act together." the Inuzuka nodded, not formalizing himself about the name-calling – they had after all spent quite a few training session with the Sand siblings during the month, so he knew it was Temari's habit

Of course, he would have to trust Temari not to betray him to his brother, but he knew that while the girl loved her brother, she also was very competitive – and the gleam in her eyes made it clear she had no intention of loosing.  
Both shared a nod, then Temari was opening her fan, winds swirling around her _**"Futon: Goufou Bouheki!"**_  
Wind and sand clashed while both genin put their heads together – that was when feathers stared to fall...

"It's started..." Temari whispered, turning urgently toward Kiba "Alright, listen, things are going to get serious."  
Kiba nodded, realizing that killing intent was starting to rise, as the spectators were falling asleep in the benches. Already, fights were starting all around the arena, and the familiar sounds of battle could be heard even beyond the tall walls, in the village itself...  
"An invasion."  
Temari nodded her confirmation "That bastard Orochimaru tried to kill father and replaced him as Kazekage, then orchestrated a joint invasion with Oto." a smile "Of course, what he didn't expect was that father survived and we've been preparing for him with Konoha's hokage ever since!"

Kiba smirked in answer, and the next moment, the Inuzuka was rushing toward the nearest assailant, calling _**"Katon: Tsuuga!"**_of course – that wasn't the only thing that happened, as what started his attack was Temari's large burst of wind, propelling him even faster.  
"Treason!" was heard somewhere nearby  
"Suna stands with Konoha." Gaara was the one to answer rather calmly, sand waves sending several Oto shinobi flying around "The only treason here is one of the Otogakure that tried to murder the Kazekage and set us up against our ally!"

The genin that had been waiting in the nearby area jumped in, having dispatched their own opponents before asking "Kankuro told us what was going on, does anyone knows what we're supposed to do?"  
"Team 6 to protect the Academy, team 8 to protect the hospital." Gaara was the one to answer, turning toward the sand genin "As for you, you're with team 8."  
The Iwa shared a glance, and turned toward the top box where their kage was – but clearly, the man was busy "We'll help team 6 then." Suzume concluded

"What? What if the Tsuchikage or our sensei doesn't approve?" Noburo wondered  
"They're busy right now, and those idiots aren't really leaving us alone anyway." the girl pointed out  
"And why should we help those Konoha brats?"  
"You're don't have to," Suzume admitted "But I'm going anyway, so you'll have to take care of yourself in the battlefield if you don't follow."  
Yoshimori turned toward his other team-mate, but after a second of hesitation, Noburo nodded and went to the girl's side. With an annoyed sight, he cursed, sending a kunai toward a shinobi creeping nearby "Alright, alright, I'm in."

* * *

**[******Yagami****/ Age 8(14) / Level 94  
****Physical Main Stat 125(206): ****Strength 36(66) / Agility 68(109) / Endurance 21 (31)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 155(206): ****Intelligence 62(92) / Will 37(49) / Wisdom 56(65)  
****Social Main Stat 105(169): ****Presence 21(29) / Perception 52(84) / Luck 32(56)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 334(536) / HP regen/min 3,37(6,08) / Chakra Points 687 / CP regen/min 7,71  
Damage 45,6(86,8) / Defense 25,5(46,1) / Reaction Speed 53,9(86,6)  
Chakra control 43,4(59,6) / Chakra Density 42,7(59,2) / Mind Speed 60,2(83,9)  
Critic Chance 22,3(50,1) / Critic Damage Multiplier 14,6(48,6), Loot Bonus 33,8(56,2)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 12 / Level 69  
****Physical Main Stat 93(142):****Strength 42(57) / Agility 34(43) / Endurance 17 (42)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 88(118): ****Intelligence 36(36) / Will 29(53) / Wisdom 23(29)  
****Social Main Stat 59(87): ****Presence 18(19) / Perception 21(26) / Luck 20(42)  
****Secondary Stat:****  
Health Points 254(452) / HP regen/min 2,56(4,65) / Chakra Point 659 / CP regen/min 6,59  
Damage 39,6(53,9) / Defense 24,5(46,5) / Reaction Speed 28,9(42,7)  
Chakra control 24,8(30,8) / Chakra Density 27,2(45,8) / Mind Speed 32,1(33,9)  
Critic Chance 5,21(8,01) / Critic Damage Multiplier 7,92(22,9), Loot Bonus 19,8(34,2)]

**[******Sasuke****/ Age 12 / Level 69  
****Physical Main Stat 107(131): ****Strength 35(41) / Agility 52(70) / Endurance 20(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 84(132): ****Intelligence 37(62) / Will 25(31) / Wisdom 22(39)  
****Social Main Stat 60(80): ****Presence 17(20) / Perception 24(40) / Luck 19(20)]

**[******Kiba****/ Age 12 / Level 66  
****Physical Main Stat 88(124):****Strength 37(59) / Agility 34(45) / Endurance 17(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 87(93):****Intelligence 33(33) / Will 26(32) / Wisdom 28(28)  
****Social Main Stat 60(69):****Presence 12(12) / Perception 31(40) / Luck 17(17)]

**[******Sakura****/ Age 12 / Level 65  
****Physical Main Stat 97(100): ****Strength 27(30) / Agility 54(54) / Endurance 16(16)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 86(122): ****Intelligence 42(60) / Will 23(29) / Wisdom 21(33)  
****Social Main Stat 61(64):****Presence 17(17) / Perception 23(26) / Luck 21(21)]

**Exam Team Breakout:**

****Team8:****Sensei Nara Ren(lv99), Sakura, Kiba, Lee(lv58)**  
******Team 9:**** Sensei Might Guy(lv99), Ino(lv53), Shino(lv54), Neji(lv58)  
****Team 10:**** Sensei Yuuhi Kurenai(lv83), Chouji(lv54), Tenten(lv55), Fuki(47)  
****Team 12:**** Sensei Akimichi Douto(lv82), Naoki(lv48), Tsukimaru(lv48), Ami(lv39)  
****Anbu******: **Mongoose/Uchiha Kagami(lv118), Alpha/Hatake Yagami

**Regular Team breakout:**

****Team 6:****sensei Sarutobi Asuma, Isao(chuunin) Ino and Shino  
****Team 8:****sensei Nara Ren, Ayame(chuunin) Kiba and Sakura  
****Team 9:****sensei Might Guy, Neji, Lee and Shikamaru(chuunin)  
****Team 10:**** sensei Yuuhi Kurenai,Tenten, Chouji and Hinata(chuunin)  
****Team Hatake:**** Kakashi, Inari(chuunin), Naruto(chuunin) and Sasuke(chuunin)**  
******Team Uchiha/Anbu Team Mongoose:****Uchiha Kagami, Hatake Yagami(chuunin/Anbu:Alpha)


	9. VIII War and Peace

****VIII. War and Peace****

A loud explosion was heard.  
"So it has started." Sasuke mused as he joined Naruto on the outskirts of the the village "You better share the memories of the tournament from that clone you sent after the battle, idiot."  
Naruto winked "Of course, we'll ask Yami-chan to help when she wakes up, I think she said something about a way to see memories!"  
"Less talking, more fighting!" Ayame called from a bit farther  
"Of course, Aya-chan!" Naruto answered with a smile, easily downing an Oto nin

"Still, I won't say no to those memories too!" another voice added nearby – Isao this time - making people laugh around them, but voice out their agreement  
The chuunin surged forward, protecting the walls of the city from the group of Oto shinobi that had been lying in wait of the signal for the start of the invasion. They had been informed about the oncoming attack barely a few hours before – but most of the chuunin had started to guess about something going on, thanks to the increase of safety measure around the village before the tournament...  
Of course, all the chuunin weren't by the walls, only the elite among them, the rest were in town, proceeding to the evacuation of the civilians, while jounin were splitting their attention between protecting the arena and the walls.

¤.¤.¤

"You know," Hiruzen mused as Orochimaru revealed himself under the kazekage's garb, the Otokage revealing himself to be a _**kage**_ _**bunshin**_as suspected "arrogance always was your downfall."  
Around them, each kage's two bodyguard had jumped at the ready – and the Snake Sannin's eyes widened as he realized just who one of those Anbu was on the Hokage's side.  
"Trying to murder me, I can understand." Rasa mused "But using not only my village, which I'm sworn to protect but even my children in your plot?" wind rose around him, heavy with golden dust "That, I won't forgive."

"You didn't lie when you said this Tournament would be interesting!" Onoki laughed "I was afraid for a second that you tree-hugers had grown weak to be attacked in your very village..." his smile was that of a wild beast "But clearly you were prepared for the attack!"  
Around them, the familiars sounds of battle were already heard, and the box from which they'd been watching the tournament all but exploded as all send their jutsu flying around – and landed easily on the large roof of the nearby watch tower.  
Clearly, even if he didn't expect to have been so deceived, Orochimaru hadn't shared all with his Sand supposed allies, as around them four Oto had popped up, going through a few hand-signs – a large purple barrier surging, separating the kage from their Anbu.

"Fuck!" Kagami loudly swore "Those bastard, they're between an outer and inner barrier, getting them to drop this won't be easy!"  
"We'll have to trust in the hokage for now." Raven told him calmly "Old he may be, that man isn't one that will be taken down easily." a smirk "Not to mention, he's not alone."  
Kagami nodded, already calmer and ready to hand out orders "Right. I want three teams to stay with me to try and weaken this barrier, meanwhile the others, keep up with your initial assignment!"  
The Anbu nodded, and were gone as discreetly as they'd arrived

¤.¤.¤

"Where will you be going?" Sakura asked before they split up  
Gaara simply pointed toward the large explosion that had just occurred – and the purple barrier that had appeared just after "Up there. We may not have the best relation, he's still our father." an amused smile "And even barriers have difficulties standing up to an annoyed jinchuuriki."  
With that, the genin split up.  
Team 8 was taking point, as the Suna team didn't know the village as well as them.

Around them, explosions from ongoing battle between Oto, Suna and Konoha nin were frequent, and soon they were halting to stop a few enemy shinobi that were advancing on a terrified civilian boy.  
Satsuki reacted the faster, fan in hand and already sending a deadly wind blade toward the shinobi, who didn't react in time.  
The boy nodded in trembling appreciation, and soon, Shikamaru and Hinata were dropping by to take care of the civilian, as they had been assigned to the evacuation forces.

They had to stop and fight three more time before arriving to the hospital – the third time clearly the worst as the jounin level shinobi had already started to rip apart the clothes of the poor teen-aged civilian girl crushed under him when they intervened. Takashi had all but snapped, his puppets far more deadly than during the tournament as they rushed the man.  
Still – the enemy was a jounin, so he did manage to escape – but genin they might be, all of them had at least low chuunin skills if not mind-state, so between the six of them, they spent the next several minutes pushing back the man, jutsu after jutsu.

Then, with a last poisoned kunai from the young puppet-master, the Oto nin dropped to the ground, never to get up anymore, and the Sand genin gently went to help the terrified girl.  
As they weren't too far away anymore, they took the civilian girl with them, Sakura carrying her as she was, understandably, shying away from the men of the group after her ordeal. Once she'd been taken away by the already busy nurses, Takashi let out one sentence that explained it all "She looks like my sister."

¤.¤.¤

Jiraya eyed the battlefield with sad but resolute eyes – in all the years of war and battle, never had the fight come so close to Konoha itself, not even during the three shinobi wars... How ironical for Orochimaru, who'd fought by his side during two of those wars, to be the one to bring the battlefield home.  
As they'd suspected, multiple large snake summon had been called at the beginning of the battle, to assist the Oto shinobi bring Konoha's walls down.

Of course, what neither Orochimaru nor his men knew was that Inari had spent the month before the tournament going over the old sealing work done by Uzumaki Mito decades ago to strengthen all the _**fuuinjutsu**_ layers engraved within the very walls of the village, and create a powerful barrier that could go from the usual relaxed settings to the heavy restrictions of war-time.  
Right now, after having been relaxed only long enough to let the guests in – those barrier were raised and ready to weather the attack, leaving a good portion of Otogakure's forces straining to even enter the grounds.  
Some enemies were already in, having infiltrated Konoha under guise of spectators for the tournament – but they were far less numerous than they'd expected thanks to Inari's work.

Now, it was the Toad Sage's turn to work, and with a heavy surge of chakra, several large toads appeared, called directly from the Summoning Realms.

¤.¤.¤

Naruto and Sasuke shared a worried glance.  
At first, the fight had been going rather well, the Oto nin not expecting Konoha to be ready for them – and Suna to turn against them. But once they'd realized what was going on, some orders had been given, and the fanatical shinobi had taken some kind of pills, looking rather similar to the soldier pills that could help to restore fatigue and chakra – but with an effect far different.  
Normal looking shinobi had started to change, and soon were replaced by multiple different grotesques being – clearly, the result of Orochimaru's research.  
But the change in appearance wasn't only ugly – it was also very effective, as they had gained enhanced senses, strength, agility...

From then on, the fight had grown more difficult, the allied shinobi of Suna and Konoha already growing tired suddenly faced with enemies once more at 100% and clearly enhanced compared to regular shinobi.  
Even Naruto with his legendary stamina was starting to feel the strain of the fight – and of course it was even worse for those around...  
_"Well, I don't really like to rely on others but... I'm not against a partnership. What do you think?"  
___"Partners? Us?" __a mocking laughter __"You really are a presumptions human. But I guess I can lend you a bit of help, after all, those idiots are threatening my..."__he trailed, clearly not to sure about the word to put there

_"Shukaku and Gaara calls her Hime-chan." _Naruto answered the unspoken dilemma_ "I think for them, it means family."  
_The other didn't answer vocally – but the blond could feel the fox sealed inside him, and the reluctant approval, torn between not wanting to agree with the human, and the warm feelings the simple mention of the young goddess evoked.  
Around the chuunin, chakra flared – not his usual one, but a reddish orange one, far more corrosive, covering him like a cloak and taking a rather familiar form, canine ears on his head, and one fiery tail in his back.  
"Let's do this!"

Nearby, Sasuke smirked, and his own aura flared while a darker, colder aura covered him too, originating from the seal he'd grown used to on his neck – a power boost not unlike that of the enemies they were facing, if coming from a different source, since Yagami's powers had taken and changed Orochimaru's curse into something different, that didn't make him subservient to the mad man.  
****Chaos**** ****Game**** had given him the choice of using or not those new powers – because using them meant becoming different, someone who could use powers granted by a divinity.  
A _**holy**_ _**servant**__._

He hadn't hesitated – after all, he knew who exactly, was the goddess he'd be swearing himself to. Even Anko had accepted the powers – and responsibilities – granted by using the new seal. Because she, just like Sasuke, had felt the very powers and feelings of Yagami when she'd freed them from Orochimaru's curse, and as such, wasn't afraid of swearing herself to the girl whose powers only Ren understood better than them now.  
Both chuunin surged forward, under the stunned look of their fellow fighters, one hesitantly asking "That... Was _**it's**_ chakra, right?"  
Ayame nodded "It was. But Naruto has him under control."

As much as it annoyed her to talk about someone she knew to be just as sentient as her like this, she knew the others just weren't ready to accept the Kyuubi as anything beyond a demon of destruction and terror for now  
"Will Uchiha-san be alright?" another wondered  
"They're team-mate, he's learned to work with the corrosive chakra." the young Yuki clan head simplified

Beyond the village's walls, the two team-mates had landed, the two foreign chakra, hot and cold, red and green, swirled around each other, two voice calling_**"Combination: Adamantine Spikes!"**_  
Around them, several length of chain appeared, this time less super-sized by the Kyuubi's chakra, but sporting sharp tips, looking as if they were extension of the fox-shaped aura of the Kyuubi – and notably, twice the three chains Naruto usually managed, looking as if they were tails.  
Of course, it wasn't the only notable thing about the jutsu – Sasuke's contribution being in the flood of_**raiton**_** chakra** acting as a second-skin against each of the six golden chakra chains, green colored from his own unique aura and making them that much more dangerous, the dark-haired chuunin protected thanks to his own particular chakra from the bijuu's corrosive energy.

Cheers were heard from the wall, as their fellow chuunin realized just how much Oto nin were falling to the technique, the initial fear felt when Naruto had started to draw on his tenant's chakra now replaced by awe, and gratefulness – all realizing that in one jutsu, that the two boys were holding for as long as they could, the duo was going through an impressive number of enemies, and as such protecting that much more their fellow Konoha nin.  
"I won't hold much longer." Sasuke admitted with a strained expression on his face  
"Same." Naruto nodded, eyeing with grim eyes the battlefield now full of fallen Oto nin

"Don't make that face." Sasuke admonished him, knowing that however competent the blond was, he still was far more kind-hearted than him, and as such was taking much harder than himself the butchery they'd just done – and given that he did found himself a bit queasy at the thought, he could only guess how hard it was for his team-mate  
"It was them, or us." Naruto agreed somberly, not looking any better, but a bit calmer "Let's get out of here."

As if waiting for the call, a slab of ice appeared in front of them, Haku emerging from it and gesturing for them to take his hands. The Yuki clan shinobi was soon heaving them within his mirror, before making the three of them emerge back on the wall, where the two were welcomed as heroes by the other chuunin, Ayame authoritatively telling them "Take a breather, we'll take care of the rest."  
Blond and dark-head nodded, thanking Ayame's cousin for the lift before stumbling to a half-sitting, half-lying position against a nearby barrier where they shouldn't be in the way, both letting themselves fall into the meditative rest they'd learnt to do while on the field. It wasn't as good as some real sleep, but would still help them restore their stamina and chakra, while being able to wake up fast if necessary.

As it wasn't a threat, neither Sasuke nor Naruto heard the whispering praise around them, already coining the name Golden Fox and Green Lightning.

¤.¤.¤

Gaara and his siblings frowned as they arrived near the cursing Anbu, that were trying to think of something powerful enough to break through the violet barrier protecting the four Oto nin.  
"We'd need something kage level to manage that." one Anbu was saying, Kagami agreeing – as much as skill-wise he was as strong as most kage, his skills were more on the subtle side of jutsu rather than the large, landscape shaping jutsu favored by the kage  
"Well, I don't know about kage level," Gaara mused "but I'm not to bad at cooperating with Shukaku." he told the Anbu commander  
The Uchiha's eyes widened, and he realized "True, one big attack from the two of you, followed by as many targeted jutsu as possible could do the trick!"

While not all shinobi had immediately understood what the two were talking about, they'd obeyed their superior, surprise as the Ichibi's chakra started to be felt only visible in their eyes as they all focused on their part.  
Gaara himself was focusing, far harder than he'd had to before – because before, the sand had been his to control, made easier thanks to Shukaku's own affinity, but not by any mean the power of the bijuu himself, and the only way he ever tapped into Shukaku's chakra was when he lost control...

Since then, Yagami had fixed his seal, he'd learned to know his tenant – and they'd started to work together, something far more difficult than only loosing control and destroying indiscriminately...  
__"I better get some fine rate sake after this!"__the bijuu grumbled amicably  
Truth be told, while he had no love for the kazekage, Shukaku did understand why Gaara wanted to save the man – it was, despite all, his father after all. And so he would help, not for the man, but for his partner.

¤.¤.¤

Orochimaru frowned.  
Rasa being alive hadn't been part of his calculation, nor Onoki actually deciding to lend a hand to Hiruzen, there was a reason why the Tsuchikage was often derogatorily referred to as the Fence Sitter rather than his real title of Balanced Scaled after all...  
Still, he wasn't a genius for nothing, and had some contingencies in place. With a bite, blood dripped and a swift movement later, a large scroll was unfurled at his feet.  
**"Ichi!"**

A heavy casket appeared, called by the summoning and covered in sealing symbols too.  
The hokage frowned worriedly, having recognized the seal-work as something he was familiar with, even if he'd never dared use it, the price not one he'd lower himself to use.  
The missing-nin managed to call a large snake just in time...  
**"Ni!"**  
Protecting the second coffin just before Onoki's own_**"Doton: Kengan no Justsu!"**_broke it, instead landing a heavy hit on the scaly beast.  
**"Yon!"**

This time, the missing-nin wasn't fast enough, a golden shroud destroying the casket before it'd even completely appeared.  
"Too bad," Orochimaru mused "I'm sure the reunion would have been amusing..." a careless shrug "Anyway, we've now evened the numbers!"  
"To think you'd fall so low..." Hiruzen sighed, focus on the two large coffin that were now opened  
"It can't be... Is it what I think it is?" a pale Onoki asked  
**"**_**Edo**__**Tesai.**_ The forbidden art of summoning the dead." the Sarutobi clan head confirmed "And the Shodaime and Nidaime Hokage."  
Indeed, two shinobi wearing old-style equipment had appeared.

The first had long straight dark hair, with dark burgundy samourai like armor pieces that left his legs and arms free to move, a Leaf hitai-ate on his brow – Senju Hashirama.  
The second was far paler, with silvery shaggy hair and earthy dark-brown eyes nearly identical to the first, three red mark on his face and blue armor pieces – his brother, Senju Tobirama.  
"It's been a long time, eh, Saru." the gray-haired shinobi Hiruzen had confirmed to be the Nidaime mused  
"You've grown old!" the Shodaime added, voice far more amused  
"This isn't how I wished to see you again." the old hokage answered, sorrow clear in his voice as he stood ready to face his former teachers "But I can assure you that I'll fight against you like against any other enemy of Konohagakure!"

The Nidaime glanced at Orochimaru "Hmm, so it's this youngster that has summoned us, eh." a pulse of chakra "And he's taken care of bounding us to follow his orders." he added with a frown "To think my own jutsu would be used against me."  
"Precisely. Now if you could cut it with the chitchat and get to the fighting." the Snake Sannin answered arrogantly, a pulse of chakra asserting his orders on the two summons  
"Bah, that's a vice typical from you tree-hugers!" Onoki smirked "Still, it's been a while since I've had a worthwhile opponent!"  
With that, Onoki jumped, the ground under them crumbling with a call of _"Doton: Ganseki Kuzushi!"_ \- something rather impressive as he'd managed to use the jutsu under their feet when it normally was performed from above to crush opponents

Of course, neither Sho nor Nidaime were lightweights, and the ground under them was soon a canvas of intermingling roots, as the dark-haired hokage called __"Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Koutan!"__  
"You shouldn't let the Tsuchikage get all the fun, sensei!" Orochimaru admonished Hiruzen as the forest was spreading around them "Not after I got through all the trouble of bringing your teachers back so you could hurt them!" a mad smile "After all, it's a particular kind of pleasure, to make your teacher suffer, isn't it?"  
"Your student is barking mad." Onoki grumbled as he jumped out of a root's reach  
"Was that really the first sign you saw?" Rasa snarked back, using his golden Dust Release to float above the dangerous flora much like his son did with his sand

Hiruzen didn't grant the comment an answer, instead going through familiar hand-sign_**"Kuuchio**__**s**__**e no jutsu: Enkou Ou Enma!"**_  
With a flare of chakra and the familiar smoke cloud of summoning, a tall silhouette appeared – Enma, personal summon of the Sandaime, and clan leader of the Monkey Summon Clan, a large, white-furred monkey wearing the same kind of old-school shinobi armor as his summoner.  
"I told you, didn't I, that letting this brat escape with his life would come and bite us back in the ass, you senile old fool!" the monkey grouched  
"You were right, like often, and I've already apologized for it." Hiruzen answered good-naturedly, used to the rough manners of his partner of decades"Now let's correct an old man's mistake Enma,_**Kongounyoi**__**henge**_**!"**

¤.¤.¤

From the outside of the barrier, all activity had paused for a second as the large scale jutsu thrown around like mere C-rank by the six kage-level shinobi stuck within made the ground shake beneath them.  
"I can't believe we're seeing the Shodaime and Nidaime... The only _**Mokuton**_ user ever known, and the best _**Suiton**_ user to have lived!" an awed Anbu mused, as a large _**suiton**_ jutsu crashed against the inner barrier "To be able to call so much water without a nearby source!"  
"Less gawking, more focusing!" an Anbu squad leader called from a few meters away  
"Right, sir!" the other agreed, turning his attention back toward Gaara

Truth be told, it wasn't any less impressive – after all, the kage were all shinobi that had honed their abilities through decades of training and fighting, while the one genin they were pinning their hope on to break through the barrier was just twelve year old, yet going through an S-rank jutsu just as impressive as the one the kage were using – all the while not losing control on his tenant, something reputedly very hard for all jinchuuriki.  
Of course, the fact that Shukaku was voluntarily cooperating with Gaara helped, not that the Anbu knew it – but the performance was still impressive, and hundreds of hours of training and meditations had been necessary to come this far.

The sand swirling around him, imbued in both his and his tenant's chakra, was now condensing into the form of a halberd – but right now, he was going to use it as a giant arrow, propelled by the strongest wind jutsu Shukaku and him could manage.  
In the distance, as if in answer, another bijuu's power was felt – and his own attack was unleashed.  
_**"Saikou Zettai kougeki: Shukaku no Hoko!"**_  
It was the first, but far from the last attack, as around him multiple squad had been going through the strongest combination attack they could, aiming in the large crack that had appeared as the sand spear had crashed into the barrier, that was now fluctuating wildly around it.

The first thing anyone learned about _**fuuinjutsu**_ was – that when it failed, it failed badly. So all the shinobi around jumped back as they saw the barrier start to crackle, and loose shape.  
The next second, an explosion was making the village shake on its foundations, and the outer barrier fell, leaving the four Oto shinobi that were still powering the inner barrier worse for the wear – and now open to attack from Suna and Konoha.

Kagami nodded toward Gaara, that was stumbling a bit under the exhaustion "Well done, get some rest we'll take care of the rest."  
"We'll protect our brother." Temari was the one to affirm – but by her side, Kankuro was nodding along, something he wouldn't have done so easily but a year before  
The slender red-head smiled, and let himself fall into his mind, knowing his chakra was all but depleted right-now.

¤.¤.¤

"Your son has an impressive partnership with his tenant." Hiruzen mused as they all jumped into the air to avoid the shaking  
Rasa nodded, pride clear in his eyes – but also some sorrow "All thanks to your little prodigy girl."  
"Yami-chan has this effect on everyone." the Sandaime smiled fondly while using the **Adamantine** **staff** in his hands to propel himself out of the branch that was coming his way  
While all three kage were bringing honor to their own name with the ongoing fight, it was soon clear – that if, fortunately, Orochimaru had had to restrain the Sho and Nidaime's power to keep them under his control, they were still both kage-level power wise, and more importantly, had the advantage of being summons rather than living being.

_**Edo**__**Tesai**_ didn't call the dead back completely – it only put their soul in a constructed body, that could regenerate again and again, more puppets than flesh and blood – a body that felt no pain, no weariness, and that seemed to regenerate chakra instantaneously.  
"Tchh. You're just an old man now!" Orochimaru laughed as the Kongounyoi clashed against his own Kusanagi "Not even able to manage a _**Kage**__**Bunshin**_!" a smirk "It's so pitiful! To think the professor would fall so low because of old age!"  
The missing-nin reaped at his face, a new, younger yet even less human looking face appearing underneath "You will fail and decay, while I've already pierced the secrets of immortality!"

While Rasa and Onoki's reaction were of horror, just as those of the Anbu around the remaining barrier, Hiruzen merely laughed.  
"The only true immortals are the gods, Orochimaru, and despite your wishful thinking, my young student, you aren't one. Merely stealing the body and lifespan of someone younger isn't immortality, it's defying Death. And Death always takes it's due."  
Orochimaru twitched in annoyance "Always so sanctimonious, even when you're about to die!"  
"I'm not afraid of Death." the hokage answered serenely

He seemed to barely need to move to avoid the sudden burst of life brought by the Shodaime's _**"Mokuton: Kajukai Kourin!" **_movements now much more assured as he formed two _**kage**__**bunshin**__.  
_"So impatient to rush to your death, sensei?" Orochimaru mocked as he knew the chakra cost would take it's toll on the other shinobi  
Onoki and Rasa shared an intrigued glance as each was met with a clone, but decided to trust in their fellow kage as he indicated to them he had a plan – they were after all starting to tire too, both having used their respective Dust Release for long enough that it was starting to put a strain on their consequent chakra reserves.

"Those symbols..." Enma was the one to recognized, having taken back his appearance as he'd realized the fight was now changing  
"Your ambition is to learn all jutsu in existence, eh?" Hiruzen mused as he eyed his former student "Then let me show a jutsu you've never seen." a smile "A jutsu that was never performed before."  
Interest shone in the mad shinobi's eyes, as a power beyond chakra was felt by all those within the barrier...

Then, one of the Oto shinobi fell, and the barrier in turn broke completely, the aftermath negated by the whirlpool of power that was called on the crumbling watch tower.  
"What is this jutsu?" Orochimaru asked, voice halfway between awe, greed and fear  
"You know what?" the Sandaime answered "I've no idea."  
"Mad, all those Leaf shinobi. And their kage the maddest of all!" Onoki grumbled

Two silhouette were appearing.  
One tall, ethereal and terrifying, an intangible god of death and destruction that was striking fear in the heart of all around.  
The smaller silhouette was far more tangible, long white hair flowing and petite, familiar feminine feature – three tails floating in her back.  
"The Anbu from the forest." Orochimaru recognized first, eyes widening as he finally saw her face – and the unmistakable features **"The little girl that didn't die!"** he added, a touch more of madness in his voice

¤.¤.¤

Tsunade frowned.  
While Hiruzen had kept his promise, she still felt uneasy. Sure, her place in the hospital was rather logical – and within the first few minutes of the assault, the jounin team that had been assigned to protect the building was kept busy.  
The Slug Sannin wasn't fighting – but the hospital now in war setting was another type of battlefield, one she was very familiar with. She had felt faint when the first injured had started to come in, clothes torn and bloody from the battle going on outside and suddenly acutely remembering why she'd left the village.  
That was when a cold laughter had been heard – quite similar to her old team-mate's laugh, yet not quite it.

"I worried a bit when I realized two of the three Sannin were back in town, but clearly I shouldn't have."  
"Yakushi Kabuto." she recognized easily – she had after all had ample time to familiarize herself with the medical staff since she'd came back and the genin had reported the fact the teen knew far more than he should, and was more skilled than he let on  
And Kabuto, adopted son of one of her doctors was also quite proficient as a medic, as much as most people didn't seem to realize it. At first, she'd put it on shyness, or humbleness – quite a few medical nin didn't realize just how essential their role was among the shinobi forces, not having known a time before she'd forced all teams going out in the field to always have at least one shinobi knowing the basis of field first-aid.

Then, the report from the first two parts of the exam had come, and she'd kept an eye on him - not noticing anything particular, then coming to the conclusion the shinobi must either be even better than she thought or the genin had been too distrustful.  
Now, the brat was facing her with a Sound hitai-ate on his brow and she realized that the genin had indeed been right – it had never been about shyness, not at all.  
"Traitor!"

"Me?" an amused smile "I don't know, I've never held much stock in all those speeches about village loyalty and what not... I'm only interested in my research, personally."  
"Great, an Orochimaru wanna-be." she snarked, the banter letting her pull herself together  
The other clearly knew about the blood phobia she'd developed during the last war, the last drop in an already far too full cup – after having lost all family, she had found herself unable to perform her job.  
With nothing tying her home anymore, she'd left Konohagakure.

But the other had miscalculated too – of course, a phobia wasn't something you just got rid of like that, but she'd been back to the village for nearly five weeks now. More than enough time to take stock of the hospital's staff, start to make change, start to evaluate the young generation of medic-nin hopeful.  
And try to get rid of her main weakness.  
How could she teach if she froze at the mere sigh of blood?  
The task had been slow going – and exhausting.  
But now, it was serving her well, as she affected to be still frozen stiff as the silver-head rushed toward her, scalpel in hand.

Reacting at the last second, with a fist that threw the man outside through a wall, and let her rush through familiar hand-sign**s **_**"Kuchyose no Jutsu: Katsuyu!"**_  
"Long time no see, Tsunade-sama." the large slug greeted amicably, eyeing the location where she'd been summoned and understanding why the legendary kunoichi had comparatively used so little chakra to call her – any more and she'd be destroying the building where her patients were  
"Please give priority to the worst injuries, I'll be counting on you, Katsuyu."  
"Of course. What about you?"  
"I've got some trash to clean up."  
The large slug split into smaller bodies, soon rushing through the hospital corridors to find the shinobi in need of healing, while Tsunade turned her attention back toward Kabuto.

¤.¤.¤

The Shinigami – for it could only be him, the Anbu all realized, as they had all stilled in awe of the clearly inhumane presence – turned his attention toward the young girl at it's feet, and bowed.  
"You're Sarenhes servant." Yagami mused as she took in the feel of the Holy Servant – that incidentally, was of course hers too, since the old vampire of Mu was a lower Death deity  
Trust the man to give such a terrifying appearance to his servant!

She turned toward the six kage-level shinobi, green and golden eyes brimming with power "Pitiful little mortal, soul tattered across the realm..." she mused as she eyed Orochimaru  
Yagami would probably not have reacted quite so calmly – but right now, it was Shadow that was a the front, powers straining in the still too mortal body of the kunoichi. And the torture the man had inflicted on her mortal form, and so many others, wasn't the worst in the eyes of all the lives stolen, and worst the atrocity he'd dared do to his soul.

She turned her attention toward the two undead shinobi "And misplaced souls."  
"Not by our choice, we can assure you, seishi-hime-sama." the Shodaime was the one to answer, the profound respect in his and his brother's attitude making it clear both souls could feel precisely just who they were talking to  
The goddess nodded her agreement – of course she knew as much, she could feel after all the strain it was putting on their souls to be stuck in the mortal realm and those fake bodies against their will.  
She turned toward Hiruzen now.

"The old jutsu required the caster's sacrifices, and in exchange sealed his soul, and that of those he took with him, in the Shinigami's stomach."  
The tall intangible silhouette nodded his assent, and Rasa and Onoki, proving their worth as kage, managed to find their voice back "Don't give your life for us, old fool!"  
"I did it for my village." the other corrected "Just like you would."  
Neither could contradict him.

It was after all, the role of a kage – to protect the village against the worst threats, when the shinobi weren't enough anymore. It was the reason why all kage were outstanding shinobi, in skill, but also in devotion to their village, and mental fortitude.  
"No soul will finish in that Shinigami's stomach today anyway." Shadow was the one to reassure them "Not if you all pitch in." she added  
"What do you want of us?"  
"You chakra."

"You have it." Rasa answered first  
"Just like that?" Onoki asked, surprised by the easy agreement  
"I should have died at the hands of Orochimaru." the kazekage pointed out "I didn't thanks to Konoha, and I know they won't abandon Sunagakure in its time of need." a shrug "So yes, just like that."  
"I have my own village to take care of." Onoki pointed out  
"You misunderstand me." Shadow smiled "I don't ask for anything permanent, you'll only suffer from chakra exhaustion."  
"Then count me in!"

The goddess turned her attention to Hiruzen "The price might be more permanent for you as the caster I'm afraid. Equivalent Exchange must be respected."  
"I am ready to give my life if necessary."

¤.¤.¤

Sasuke opened his eyes, having felt a shift nearby, as a new, alien power had been called.  
By his side, Naruto's body was slipping, and the chuunin looked feverish.  
"Medic!"  
By the time an old chuunin had rushed by his side, Naruto's body had gone still – then reddish chakra flared around the boy, and the eyes that opened themselves weren't blue.  
"Kyuubi!" a nearby chuunin whispered in panic

****"Indeed."****the deep voice, so foreign for Naruto, confirmed****"And I'm doing all my possible not to burn everything around me so calm down little mortal!"****  
The authoritative affirmation stopped nearly all movement around, and Sasuke was the one who dared ask "What's happening? Where's Naruto?"  
****"The boy's soul isn't here right now."****the bijuu answered ****"It's been called by something foul."**** he turned toward the tower where the kage were fighting, and where even from the distance then could see a forest growing  
The Uchiha heir eyed his best friend, and suddenly understood – something both Inari and yagami had hinted at.

"Orochimaru called for the Shodaime, didn't he?"  
****"He did."**** the bijuu agreed, stunned whispers breaking the fearful silence at the bomb he'd just casually dropped****"But don't fear..."****the air shuddered under an ancient power ****"the Moon Hime has awakened, and she'll send the brat back."******  
**One chuunin, more courageous than the other, and young enough that he barely remembered the fateful attack twelve year ago, stumbled forward and dared ask "Please... Why aren't you killing us?"  
****"I've got better things to do."**** the bijuu answered curtly, the chakra around him flaring haphazardly as he tried to reign it in  
"But... You attacked before..."

****"I was never the one to strike first, mortal."******  
**The affirmation was met with both surprise and uncertainty – some not seeing the point for an all powerful beast of disaster to lie, the others unable to even fathom why they, or anyone would have attacked something as terrifying first.  
Sasuke felt the power the bijuu had felt first a moment later – at the same time as Anko did, somewhere on the other side of the battlefield...  
Instinctively, he started to channel chakra toward the seal on his neck, somehow knowing that the goddess he'd sworn himself to needed more power. The act drew the Kyuubi's attention, who mused ****"Well not long now..."****

As the power, far different from the bijuu's wild chakra, spread across the village, the bijuu felt his jailer and would-be partner's soul settle back into his body as he was forced back into the prison where he now spent his days.  
He didn't fight against the seal – satisfied for now that his Hime-chan had awakened, and felt his presence. The former ookami daiyoukai would come to see him soon enough, he knew that much from the old days.

¤.¤.¤

Ren and Inari too of course, had felt their wife and mother's awakening. The Nara, thanks to the link he shared with his mate, felt some of what was about to happen, and dropped in the shadows, coming out by his son's side.  
"We've got to be ready for the aftermath."  
Inari nodded, eyeing the area "Can you take me to the top of the Hokage Monument? I should see all the village from there. I'll need it if I want to be able to counter the touch of death fast enough."  
Ren nodded, taking him along, and using for the first time a power that he hadn't needed yet in this life...

****[Past life Aura****** 05:00]**

Inari eyed the other, surprise in his eyes.  
"I've got an idea about how to take care of this."  
The lesser god nodded, both their powers already mingling letting him know what the other was suggesting as if he'd spoken aloud.  
Images flashed into his mind, of a place he'd only ever seen in his mother's memories – the **YinYang Sanctuary**, once created to save countless mortals from the decaying touch of evil.  
If the barriers that had quite simply barred the access to the old Sanctuary weren't feasible in a shinobi village, the regenerating powers of Life could still be tied to an intent ward – that wouldn't force the enemies out of the lands, but wouldn't let them benefit from the two gods benediction.

¤.¤.¤

Trapping souls into the Shinigami wasn't really something in accordance with the ways of the Immortal Realms – if not for the fact that now that her powers were so close to the surface, Shadow could feel the key to free those souls nearby, making the pact valid.  
She understood why it had been set up like this – even if lower deities could interfere far more with their world than the higher deities, Sarenhes still was limited in his power by his lack of chakra pathway, something the powers of Death couldn't do anything about...

But Shadow had died, and came back in a new body – one that was now far more apt to meld the planet's current powers and her own godly gifts. And even if the planet itself seemed intent on making her into the daiyoukai she'd once been one more time, chakra pathway were now an intrinsic part of her makeup.  
The young goddess smiled, as she felt all the familiar souls and powers around her, the month spent between realms having bolstered her currently mortal body far more than anyone had realized – she was after all nearing the level required to be considered a hanyou, and clearly her body had decided to jump ahead in it's next evolution.

While her body was sleeping in Konoha, adapting to the rather sudden change – her mind hadn't been stuck there, far from it, instead it had been free to roam, perfecting her grasp on the ****Revolutionary********Art**** she'd used back as Tsukiko to create Second Life – and in this life to modify the seal that Orochimaru had created and take it for herself.  
She could have destroyed it with her powers as Death – but it would have been far more costly for both Sasuke and Anko, while changing it had opened new possibilities for both.

She had been surprised, but happy, when she'd felt both accept her gift – she hadn't expected Anko to risk it given her past, and Sasuke was intelligent enough to understand the choice, but unpredictable enough that she hadn't been able to guess what he'd choose, something that hadn't changed from the time he was the Sage's eldest son.  
"Go back to where you belong."  
Two bodies crumbled to the ground, physical appearance changing before they'd hit the ground – revealing the two missing Oto genin that should have been a part of the day's tournament.

Orochimaru, finally understanding something must have gone awry, tried to flee – but a dark blade without reflection had already plunged in his stomach, and the stolen body around him was fast decaying...  
"Barely half of his soul..." Shadow mused, eyes on something only she could see "He'll probably be back then." she warned the three kage  
"Then we'll kill the bastard as many times as needed." Rasa was the once to profess, face pale from the exertion – to sent back the two dead hokage, the goddess had used up all their chakra, and all three could feel the next few weeks, at least, would be exhausting

The goddess turned toward the Shinigami that was still patiently waiting for her instructions.  
"Let's right one more wrong before leaving."  
The tall being bent toward her, and a slender hand touched the demon-like mask as if the being was tangible – the powers of Death flared once more, and this time, the soul freed was visible.  
"You have my thanks, Seishi-hime-sama." the blond said with a bow, then smiling warmly "For my freedom, and for taking care of my son when I couldn't."  
"He is family to me too." Yagami pointed out, the powers of Death powering down around her as the Shinigami started to disappear

Behind her, the Sandaime, his two _**kage bunshin**_ long gone with the chakra he'd given just like the other two village leader, had to repress a sigh at the casual announce – but well, even if Naruto was far younger than he'd liked for his parentage to be revealed so openly, the boy had grown skilled enough to be able to protect himself from the enemies his parentage would inevitably gain him once the news spread.  
Once more, the young goddess touched someone that wasn't tangible – and under her fingers, the familiar form of the _**Shiki**__**Fuuin**_ that held the Kyuubi inside Naruto appeared on the Yondaime's spectral form.

"Naruto was too young to be able to contain all the Kyuubi." the blond explained to his living counter-part "So I took the Yin half of it's chakra with me..." a smile "But the bijuu can't die, so I can't have his chakra in me if I want to leave go to Death's Realm."  
"You intent to give the missing chakra back to Naruto?" Hiruzen couldn't ask worryingly  
"On the long run maybe." Yagami shrugged "But for now I'll take care of him." she affirmed, the familiar, toxic chakra flaring around the ghost – and rushing toward the girl

"This is going to take some time getting used to." the white-haired girl mused as she felt her body strain to adapt, three more tails splitting from those she'd already gained before her coma  
With a last bow, Namikaze Minato was gone, and Death's hold finally dissipated, leaving everyone free to move once more and Yagami stumbling, exhausted but struggling to stay awake – she'd already slept more than enough!  
A cloud of sand shrouded before she could collapse, taking the form of a rather comfortable floating couch under the bemused eyes of the nearby shinobi.

¤.¤.¤

Then, a scream cut the lingering silence "She's killed Orochimaru-sama! Fucking cunt!"  
The sand from the couch moved seamlessly to protect the tired girl, while the Anbu around them realized that as stunning as the recent events had been – the battle wasn't quite over yet, and wouldn't be for as long as the Oto nin hadn't been all captured, killed or driven out of the village.  
"Our time to show off!" Kagami winked as he led the assault, most of the Anbu now freed to assist around the city now that they didn't have to focus on dropping the barrier around the three kage.  
The three remaining Oto nin that had been manning the barrier shared a glance, and familiar cursed seals burned on their shoulder, changing their form.

Yagami, now by Gaara's side, the three Sand siblings having caught up with them, frowned – but there was nothing she could have done, in this world using her godly powers used chakra just as much as it tapped into her holy powers, and as impressive as her chakra reserve were for her age, they weren't bottomless.  
She had made a choice in freeing the Yondaime and Kurama, rather than hunting more fragments of Orochimaru's soul – one she didn't regret, as annoying as it was to realize the missing-nin would probably end up being a nuisance once again.  
After all barking mad and twisted he maybe – his genius was impossible to deny.

Still – it soon became clear that as furious as they were, the three Oto nin, all quite skilled and enhanced multiple times by the cursed seal, still had a plan as they promptly split, the larger taking the body of his fallen comrade as an after-thought, before rushing in the direction where the main Oto forces had attacked – probably to organize a retreat.  
"Capture all you can, but focus on avoiding casualties on our side." the hokage instructed Kagami as the Anbu team split to keep up with the four "Once they've left the immediate vicinity of the village, stop regular pursuit and send the hunter nin."

¤.¤.¤

The strange shift of powers had been felt from all around the village, and Tsunade, like quite a few of the veteran, had identified the feeling of Death – even if they didn't know what had provoked it.  
All froze on the battlefield, allies as well as enemies struggling to move under the cold and inevitable power.  
Then, something shifted, the power started to dissipate – all fight started anew.

Except, clearly, something had changed, as Kabuto, that had been struggling against Tsunade, but hadn't tried to flee until now was suddenly jumping back, and leaving.  
"Fucker." the Senju hime grumbled, knowing she couldn't give chase when she was still responsible of the hospital

¤.¤.¤

As soon as the power of Death had started to recede, Inari and Ren had started to let their own power flare, flooding the area under their eyes...

[you have entered ****Konoha Sanctuary****

while inside this area, all beings meeting the correct criteria benefit from:

\- +25% to healing from all sources  
\- +10% to all regeneration rates  
\- +5% on the second effect if the subject is an inhabitant of the Sanctuary  
\- +15% on the second effect if the subject is a Shinobi of Konoha  
\- +10% on the second effect if the subject is a willing ally of Konohagakure  
****The criteria is:**** no ill-intent against Konohagakure and it's population  
__note that not meeting the criteria will only result in not being affected by the Sanctuary's benefit___]_

The two deities shared a smile and dropped to the ground, only their eyes able to see the flux of several holy powers twisting around the hidden Village.  
"She can't help herself, can she?" Inari mumbled, half-annoyed, half-amused  
"Your mother never could stay put when she could help." a shrug "Even if she's the one hurt after."

Because if the vibrant light green of their own power over Life were now encasing the village boundaries – the darker, colder green of Death and golden threads of Chaos were also added to the mix, far stronger than if only Inari had been the one participating.  
What resulted was something far more powerful and permanent than they had expected – rather similarly to the **Uzumaki Sanctuary** Inari himself had created in Uzu no Kuni, or the **YinYang Sanctuary** the godly couple had created nearly three thousand years ago...

¤.¤.¤

With Orochimaru's death – as temporary as they were told to expect it to last – the three remaining Sound Four that had been managing the barrier and Kabuto had quickly made the invading shinobi to retreat.  
All had soon felt the effect of the newly created Sanctuary, and the recovery had immediately started, Tsunade's Katsuyu going around to heal the low priority patients once the worst cases had been dealt with, the chuunin helping the civilians that had lost their homes by handing out provisions and first necessities items, the jounin gathering the prisoners and the dead while the genin were tasked with starting to clean up.  
Anbu, of course, were already in pursuit to ensure the Oto shinobi really did leave Hi no Kuni's borders.

By the end of the third day, the streets had been cleaned up – and that was when, after gaining the approval of both the hokage and his clan head, Tenzo had used his abilities publicly for the first time.  
Trees arose from the ground, rapidly growing and changing shape, replacing the destroyed buildings.  
Where the aftermath of an invasion should have been rather grim – thanks to how much they'd prepared ahead, Konoha had come out of the ordeal if not intact, at least not worse for the wear.

"Well," Onoki mused as the Hokage was seeing his party out of the city "You promised an exciting Tournament and you more than delivered, you crafty old monkey..." he eyed the village swarming with activity "An interesting Tournament, a fight against the dead, and now a living _**Mokuton**_ user..." he listed, mumbling "And I won't even ask about your little white-haired girl I don't think I'm quite ready for that..."  
"Oh I'm sure she'll come and answer your questions eventually..." Hiruzen promised, laughter in his eyes as he made the other stumble "After all, she told me she want to meet the seven siblings she hasn't seen yet."

The Tsuchikage rolled his eyes "Ah! She's welcomed to meet them if she can manage to talk to their jailers! Stubborn old fools, all of them!"  
Still – he didn't protest as he would have even a few days before.  
After all, the girl was kind enough to notify him about her intentions, when he clearly understood that she didn't really need to do so. As tired as she came out after using her unearthly powers, he'd still seen her do things no mortal could – not to mention he'd seen how easily the Yin half of the nine-tail had bent to her will when she'd simple took him out of the Yondaime's ghost as if there hadn't been a seal to keep him jailed...

He'd also heard the warning, not out into words, but strongly suggested by both the hokage, his wandering student and the impossible girl – about people out there, not quite identified yet, but whose aim was to steal all nine of the bijuu.  
Iwagakure would be ready to defend itself, and it's shinobi.

Like expected the three kage had found themselves exhausted after the battle – and while the Tsuchikage had still left a few days after, he was still tired and relying on his guards to protect him on his way back.  
The Kazekage lingered a bit more, since he had to debrief his men and let rest before heading home.  
He'd also offered some help from Suna for the reconstruction effort – but truth be told, apart from some _**doton**_ user helping to clean the ground in the area where the worst of the battle had happened, Konohagakure had come out rather well out of the battle.

"This will only bolster your status." Rasa mused, far less bitter about it than he'd have been the year before "The first time people manage to attack your very village... And you've come out of it as good as new."  
"You know well it isn't the case."  
"I know." the man nodded – they were after all making preparations for the mass funeral of the shinobi and civilians lost in the battle "But that's not how the other Hidden Villages will see it."

The Hokage nodded – he knew it well, as much as the few dozen of victim of Orochimaru's offensive were acutely felt by himself and the rest of the villagers, they would be brushed as nothing by the other nations – after all the battles of the previous shinobi war counted their victims by hundreds...  
Yet despite knowing that they'd been lucky – it was hard to rejoice at the number of death, as small as it was.  
"What about your health?"

Hiruzen raised an eyebrow – while it wasn't publicized yet, he had been warned that his price would be far more permanent than the others...  
His chakra network had been messed up badly by the preternatural summoning he'd done – and if he hadn't lost his life, he still found himself left with chakra capacities barely equivalent to those of most jounin, and that quite permanently.  
He didn't regret paying that price – but it meant he had one more urgent duty.  
The old shinobi had already talked to his student to explain the situation, and had managed to convince, albeit grudgingly the Senju hime to take the position her grand-uncle and grand-father had held before her.

"I've still got a few years left in me." he reassured the other kage "And Tsunade has accepted my position."  
"Oh? The Senju hime will be Godaime?" Rasa noted, surprised – it was well known after all that she'd left the villages for years  
"Having found a clan-member, even if only because of Orochimaru's scheming... It helped her remember why her ancestors created Konoha."  
"Well, I'll be looking forward to working with her then." Rasa stated "When are you doing the announcement?"  
"After the funerals."  
"To bolster the spirit." the other guessed easily  
The Kazekage had left only a week after the invasion, men in tow, all having participated in respectful silence at the mass funeral – and taking with them the black sealed scrolls holding their own dead, to bring back them to the desert for their last sleep.

¤.¤.¤

In the days that had followed the invasion, everyone had pitched in with the reconstruction – as such, by the time the funeral came, Naruto, Sasuke, and all their fellow pack-mates and friends hadn't had any time to catch up with each other beyond reassuring themselves that they were all alive.  
Even those that slept together in the Inuzuka den mostly passed out at the end of the day, too tired to really talk, most still reeling back from the events that had occurred – even if they had been ready for it, to think someone would dare and attack them within their very home!  
Hiruzen had been right – all of the people of Konohagakure needed something to remind them that they had won.

It was why, much like when he had officially nominated Minato after the third shinobi war, Tsunade and him orchestrated the announce to be felt by all – it had to be an event that all talked about, something that would stay in everyone's memories, just like the Yellow Flash teleportating on the dais when he was inducted had been.

"Ten days ago, we were attacked in the middle of our home, enemies dared to set foot into the very sanctuary Senju Hashirama created for us all to live together and prosper!"Hiruzen stated, not needing to raise his voice as all were listening in silence  
"But like all our enemies before, Otogakure learned that no one can destroy us... Because Konohagakure isn't simply a village, it's an idea, a conviction that we all carry in our heart to live and fight to protect all those that we hold dear."

He gestured toward the multiple wreath of flowers still laid out near the small monument engraved with the name of all, shinobi and civilians alike, that had fallen during the invasion.  
"Those that gave their life to protect us are watching, and we will endure, and grow, and protect in turn the next generation of the ever-growing tree of Konohagakure!"

Eyes widened as the ground started to shook just behind the monument – a wide-eyed genin pointed at the silhouette crouched, one hand to the ground and a mimic of fierce focus on her face.  
More importantly, the green haori on her back had been replaced by a longer one, the cut familiar – and the symbol for gambling on her back replaced by another.

From the shaking ground, a root shoot out – then another, and soon it was a gigantic tree that was growing at a fast rate, protecting the small monument with his large foliage, so tall it was visible from all around the village, growth bolstered by the Sanctuary's effect.  
"I have watched upon several generations already... As such, once more, I am happy to announce to you all... That I'm retiring, and leaving us all in the hands of the new Godaime Hokage, Senju Tsunade!"

The pale blond woman smiled as Hiruzen put the hat marked in red with the symbol of fire, mark of the current leader of Konohagakure, not letting any civilian realize, and fooling even the genin and quite a few of the chuunin, that she had exerted quite a bit of chakra in that one jutsu.  
The reaction was just as wild as they had guessed – after all until recently all had thought _**Mokuton**_ to be a lost art. All had been impressed, and happy, when Tenzo had revealed his talent – that was truth be told far more impressive and versatile than Tsunade's own for that particular branch of jutsu – but seeing the grand-daughter of the Shodaime perform the same feat as her illustrious ancestor and taking on the same position as him...

That was precisely the kind of awe-inspiring, uplifting event they had been aiming for.  
The new Godaime eye the crowd, suddenly feeling acutely the responsibilities she had just accepted.  
"From now on... You are all my family, and just like my grand-father and uncle before me, just like my sensei... I'll protect you all, for as long as I live... and until the next generation grows, and becomes able to take that hat from me!"  
People laughed, awe now replaced with more light-hearted vibes, the gloom that had been pervading Konoha since the mass funeral finally lifted.

¤.¤.¤

"And speaking about the new generation..." the new hokage forged on with an infectious bright smile "I've got a few announcement!"  
Intrigued mutters were heard in the crowd and taking a more commanding voice, she called "Genin Haruno Sakura, Inuzuka Kiba, to the front!"  
Both genin obeyed, sharing intrigued glance.  
"Before the invasion started, we were having a tournament... The last fight was interrupted, but both the Kazekage and Tsuchikage went home with an idea about their genin abilities..." a smile "Congratulation, you are now chuunin of Konoha!"  
Akamaru let out a victorious bark, immediately answered by nin-ken and clan-member alike.

As the howls tapered down and the two new chuunin left the stage, Tsunade called again "Genin Rock Lee and Hyuga Neji!"  
Both boys took the place of their comrades, even more curious – both knew very well after all that they had all but forsaken their promotion when they chose to fight until exhaustion during the tournament.  
"While you showed abilities worthy of a chuunin during the tournament, you also didn't reveal the right mind-set." the two nodded, not surprised "But according to the reports of the invasion, it's as chuunin, and not genin that you acted, taking the lead when needed and protecting Konoha despite the fact you were still both hurt. As such, I am now calling on war-time privilege... Congratulation, chuunin of Konoha!"  
This time, it was Hinata that started the clapping – a second before a loudly crying Guy.

"Chuunin Uzumaki Inari, Uzumaki Naruto, Uchiha Sasuke, Inuzuka Hana! Tokubetsu Jounin Mitarashi Anko, Gekkou Hayate! Front and center!"  
The contestants of the chuunin exam recognized the sickly looking shinobi they had met at the end of the second test, and wondered what had happened – one thing was sure, the man looking in far better health than before, and that despite a large bandaging around his midst section, forbidding him from closing his chuunin jacket.  
"After reading through the reports pertaining to the invasion, one thing stands out... All our shinobi performed far beyond all expectations... And even among all those men, you stood out!"  
The crowd roared it's approval, the voice of the shinobi clearly heard.

"Between the two of them, Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke held at bay four platoons! The enemy that fled have already told the other nations about the Golden Fox and the Green Lightning of Konoha!"  
The two chuunin shared a stunned look – a look growing more surprised by the second as even among the civilians approval could be heard despite the rather unmistakable moniker the blond had been given.

"On the other side of the village, Uzumaki Inari protected the bunkers where the civilians had been evacuated, making the enemy fear that the Red Hot-Blooded Habanero had been revived!" amidst the cheer, laughter could be heard from those old enough to remember Uzumaki Kushina "Proving to all that they may have erased our oldest allies village, they will never erase the Uzumaki from this world, and Konoha will always stand behind them!"  
At that proclamation, the red-head had to contain his tears – hearing Tsunade talk like this about this village, when she didn't even knew yet who he really was wasn't something he had expected.  
Perhaps he should have, given that the girl was also Uzumaki Mito's grand-daughter...  
"They've given their nightmare the name of Red Whirlwind!"

Next, she gestured toward Anko "On the battlefield, we were lucky to have someone that could sent against Orochimaru's summon her own snake... And she did so skillfully, saving countless allied shinobi! The Snake Sannin may have left Konoha, he left behind someone with far more worth than he could ever guess in our own snake mistress, the Jade Viper of Konoha!"  
Next was Hana's turn under the spotlight "Inuzuka Hana is already outstanding among her clan for the ability to bond and raise with three nin-ken... But Hana didn't only lead her three partners in battle, but all the other Inuzuka dogs without partners, and made the enemy regret underestimating dogs without hitai-ate!"  
A chorus of howl were heard at that, an amused note easy to hear into the canine voices.

"And finally... Gekkou Hayate... The lone shinobi who managed to learn Orochimaru's plan from his spy before the tournament!" she turned toward a lone crying silhouette in the crowd , that had made her way to this first rank of the crowd "We had to fake his death, in order not to tip the enemy off... And now I give him back to you all, even improved!" she winked "I've heard a very good medic took a look at his lungs and healed him!"  
The new hokage raised her hands, encompassing the six shinobi in the move "For the prowess you've demonstrated in battle, you are now Jounin of Konoha!"

¤.¤.¤

In the middle of the festive crowd, all the Chaos Game holder shared a smile as the new Godaime's speech finally triggered the wave of notifications they had been waiting for with bated breath ever since the end of the invasion...

****[Life Quest Complete! The Great Tree's Upheaval...****  
__the chuunin exam are held in Konoha this year, and with them they'll bring all kind of unexpected events...__  
****Goal complete:**** Chuunin Exam first test complete** (3/3)**  
****Goal******:** Chuunin Exam second test complete **(2/3)  
******Goal failed: ****save the Kusagakure team**  
******Goal complete: ****survive an encounter with Orochimaru  
****Goal complete:**** save your fellow Konoha shinobi  
****Goal complete:**** awaken the Kyuubi  
****Goal failed: ****prevent Orochimaru from marking anyone with his cursed seal  
****Hidden Goal complete: ****take over Orochimaru's cursed seal **(2/2)**  
****Bonus Goal complete: ****meet the Kusagakure Uzumaki clan member  
****Bonus Goal complete:****adopt the new Uzumaki into the clan  
****Goal failed: ****prevent Orochimaru from interrupting the Tournament  
****Hidden Goal complete: ****prevent Orochimaru from allying with Suna  
****Bonus goal complete: ****convince Iwa to help Konoha and Suna  
****Goal complete: ****use the Kyuubi's chakra  
****Bonus Goal: ****prevent Orochimaru from calling the deceased hokage back **(1/3)  
******Hidden Goal complete: ****sent the souls back to their rightful place  
****Hidden Goal complete: ****free the souls trapped in the Shinigami's stomach  
****Bonus Goal complete:****save the Sandaime Hokage  
****Bonus Goal complete:**** kill Orochimaru's current incarnation  
****Bonus goal failed:****capture the Sound Four **(0/4)**  
****Bonus goal failed:****capture the spy Yakushi Kabuto  
****Hidden goal complete: ****use holy powers to protect Konoha  
****Hidden Goal failed:****protect Naruto's secrets **(0/2)  
******Goal complete: ****convince Senju Tsunade to become Godaime  
****Hidden Goal complete:****teach Tsunade mokuton  
****Goal failed:**** gain a promotion via the Chuunin exam **(2/9)  
******Bonus Goal: ****gain a war-time promotion to Chuunin **(2/5)  
******Bonus Goal: ****gain a war-time promotion to Jounin **(6/8)  
...**

****Reward******: **12*10XP, +6 Perk Point  
****Bonus reward:****+14*20XP, +1 Elemental Skill Book  
****Hidden reward:****+7*20XP, +1 A-rank Jutsu to be chosen, +1 000 000 ryo shared between **Inventories**]

**[******Team********Uchiha**** Level up!  
**You** are now level **99**_(+6lv_ _+12CP, +60SP), _**Kagami** is now level **120**_(+2lv)_]

****[Team Hatake****level up!  
**Kakashi** is now level **104**_(+5lv), _**Naruto** is now level **75**_(+6lv)_**,** **Sasuke** is now level **75**_(+6lv),_ **Inari** is **level** **max**]  
****[Team8****** level up!**  
**Ren** is now level **104 **_(+5lv), _**Sakura** is now level **71**_(+6lv),_ **Kiba** is now level **72**_(+6lv),_ **Lee** is now level **66**_(+8lv)_]  
****[Team9******l**evel up!  
**Guy** is now level **104**_(+5lv), _**Neji** is now level **66**_(+8lv),_ **Ino** is now level **62**_(+9lv),_ **Shino** is now level **63**_(+9lv)_]  
****[Team********10****level up!  
**Kurenai** is now level **88**_(+5lv),_ **Chouji** is now level **63**_(+9lv), _**Tenten** is now level **63**_(+8lv),_ **Fuki** is now level **57**_(+10lv)_]  
****[Team********12****level up!  
**Katashi** _(KIA),_ **Naoki** is now level **58**_(+10lv), _**Tsukimaru** is now level **58**_(+10lv),_ **Ami** is now level **51**_(+12lv)_]  
**[******Konoha nin****level up!  
**Anko** is now level **84**_(+5lv), _**Hana** is now level **77**_(+5lv), _**Shikamaru** is now level **72**_(+6lv), _**Hinata** is now level **71**_(+6lv), _**Ayame** is now level **94**_(+5lv), _**Isao** is now level **90**_(+5lv)_]

* * *

**[******Yagami****/ Age 8(14) / Level 99  
****Physical Main Stat 128(210): ****Strength 36(66) / Agility 71(112) / Endurance 21 (32)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 155(208):****Intelligence 62(92) / Will 37(51) / Wisdom 56(65)  
****Social Main Stat 112(177): ****Presence 21(29) / Perception 52(85) / Luck 39(63)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 340(548) / HP regen/min 3,44(6,22) / Chakra Points 711 / CP regen/min 7,98  
Damage 46,5(87,8) / Defense 25,5(46,9) / Reaction Speed 56(88)  
Chakra control 43,4(60) / Chakra Density 42,7(60,7) / Mind Speed 60,2(83,9)  
Critic Chance 22,6(51) / Critic Damage Multiplier 18,1(55,3), Loot Bonus 38(60,6)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 12 / Level 75  
****Physical Main Stat 95(149):****Strength 43(60) / Agility 34(44) / Endurance 18 (45)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 90(143):****Intelligence 36(39) / Will 29(70) / Wisdom 25(34)  
****Social Main Stat 67(110): ****Presence 18(20) / Perception 21(33) / Luck 28(57)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 262(478) / HP regen/min 2,65(4,84) / Chakra Point 798 / CP regen/min 7,98  
Damage 40,3(57,1) / Defense 25,5(49,5) / Reaction Speed 29,2(44,3)  
Chakra control 25,2(36,4) / Chakra Density 27,8(59,2) / Mind Speed 32,7(37,5)  
Critic Chance 5,29(12) / Critic Damage Multiplier 11,3(32,6), Loot Bonus 24,6(44,8)]

**[******Sasuke****/ Age 12 / Level 75  
****Physical Main Stat 112(145):****Strength 36(42) / Agility 56(83) / Endurance 20(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 91(155):****Intelligence 41(71) / Will 27(36) / Wisdom 23(48)  
****Social Main Stat 60(98):****Presence 17(20) / Perception 24(55) / Luck 19(23)]

**[******Kiba****/ Age 12 / Level 72  
****Physical Main Stat 93(132):****Strength 42(64) / Agility 34(48) / Endurance 17(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 92(108): ****Intelligence 33(40) / Will 26(32) / Wisdom 33(36)  
****Social Main Stat 62(91): ****Presence 14(14) / Perception 31(54) / Luck 17(23)]

**[******Sakura****/ Age 12 / Level 71  
****Physical Main Stat 101(111): ****Strength 27(30) / Agility 56(63) / Endurance 18(18)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 86(145):****Intelligence 42(68) / Will 23(29) / Wisdom 21(48)  
****Social Main Stat 69(78):****Presence 21(21) / Perception 27(33) / Luck 21(24)]

**Regular Team breakout:**

****Team 6:****sensei Sarutobi Asuma, Isao(chuunin), Ino and Shino  
****Team 10:**** sensei Yuuhi Kurenai,Tenten, Chouji and Hinata(chuunin)  
****Team 12:**** sensei Akimichi Katashi (KIA), Naoki, Tsukimaru, Ami(disabled)

****Team Hatake:**** leader Hatake Kakashi, Inari, Naruto and Sasuke  
****Team Nara:****leader Nara Ren, Ayame, Kiba and Sakura  
****Team Might:**** leader Might Guy, Neji, Lee and Shikamaru  
****Team Uchiha/Anbu Team Mongoose:****Uchiha Kagami, Hatake Yagami(chuunin/Anbu:Alpha)


	10. IX Birth of a Hero

**Hi! **Thank you for reading and leaving comments everyone!  
As you seen, we've come to the end of part one - I'll probably touch a few of the filler arcs of the anime and/or films but not all of them, just like in InuYasha.  
There'll probably be a gap before the second part since I do need some time to start writing it!

* * *

****IX. Birth of a Hero****

As the crowd was breaking up, a discreet signal from the old Sandaime made Kagami and Yagami gesture to their friends to head back first, while they slipped in the shadows – Mongoose and Alpha arriving in the large office over-viewing the village a few moments before the newly named Godaime and her sensei.  
"Well, we've made everyone happy... Now starts the boring part, right?"  
"I don't know about boring." Hiruzen smiled secretly, "But we do have some ground to cover... Of course I'm not dropping all my duties on you at once, we'll cohabit in the office for the new few weeks." he reassured her "But first..."

The old shinobi gestured, his guards of the day dropping out of the ceiling – Hound and Raven on that day. The two dropped their mask as the office was secured with a flare of chakra.  
"I won't surprise you when I tell you that from now on, you'll always have two Anbu trailing you at anytime."  
The Senju hime frowned but nodded – this was something she already knew about, as loathe as she was to accept it for herself.  
"Your guards will be hand-picked by yourself, and better be shinobi you fully trust since they'll eventually know all your secrets." he warned her  
Another gesture, and Mongoose and Alpha dropped their mask too.

"The other shinobi that will know all that you know, and sometime even more is someone most people don't even know about." Kagami gave exaggerated bow at that, making Yagami roll her eyes "It's your Anbu head commander."  
The newly retire Hokage smiled as he finally announced casually – immensely enjoying himself "Oh, and I guess I should also mention that we currently have two gods and one goddess residing in Konoha."  
Said three godly being waved cheerfully – Hiruzen not even surprised at Inari's appearance despite the fact he hadn't been there the second before – while Tsunade stumbled.

"What the fuck do you mean, two gods and a goddess?"  
"You are enjoying this way too much." Ren told the old man that was grinning  
"Of course I am!" the other confirmed "After all the headaches you three have caused me over the years, you bet I'm going to enjoy being the one causing the headache this time around!"  
"He's not joking, is he?" Tsunade realized "Is it too late to refuse that hat?" she wondered  
"Far too late!" her sensei confirmed, not looking sorry for her at all

The next hours were spent going over all that Tsunade would need to know – the hierarchy of the Anbu only the head commander and hokage knew about, the how and why of the godly trio's presence, and so on...  
It was a bit before breaking up the meeting that the old hokage mentioned "Despite the very visible display of powers of godly powers in town the three of them have done, the situation has been mostly ignored by he civilians, since they don't differentiate chakra from killing intent or any other intent, and as such didn't realize that those aura that spread around the village weren't even chakra." he explained

"As for the Anbu." Kagami smirked "They know better than to spread rumors around, even if they understand well enough that those were otherworldly forces at work." his eyes were full of mirth as he added "Seeing the Shinigami bowing to you may have been a hint about the fact you weren't quite normal."  
"Uh. Is that why they've been acting like fan-girls around me recently?" Yagami mused, making the others laugh  
"It is." the commander confirmed, amused at how she'd put it "But not really because of what you are rather than what you did..." a smirk "Some of them weren't convinced about my choice when I took you as my apprentice." the smirk grew wider "Now they've all converted to my point of view!"

"She's just gained a following of expert assassins, hasn't she?" Ren mumbled "I think her ability to attract dangerous people must have leveled up..."  
"I'm so proud." Kakashi answered with a nod, making Tsunade face-palm, mumbling about needing some sake  
"Still, since we're trying to keep off the records anything too out of this world," Sarutobi continued "It was only put in the private Anbu records, only available to the Head Commander and Hokage."

"Which is why I didn't know about it before." Tsunade realized  
"Precisely." Sarutobi nodded, before turning toward Yagami "As such I couldn't make it a public ceremony like we could for the others but... Congratulation, Chuunin Hatake, for your war-time promotion as Jounin." a smile "Now, I think we all have some parties waiting for us to start!"

¤.¤.¤

"Oh!" Tsume all but crowed as Ren, Inari, Yagami and Kagami arrived at the clan compound "Seems like we've got one more promotion to celebrate!"  
"How the fuck did she know?" Kiba wondered, receiving only a clueless shrug from Naruto "Yami-chan doesn't even wear a flak jacket nowadays!"  
"Because the hitai-ate of jounin is different." Hana explained to both  
"Eh?"  
"All new jounin have been told to drop by the Packaging Department." the newly minted jounin reminded Naruto and informed her brother "That's because the metal plate on Jounin head-band isn't identical to those of genin and chuunin."

"It's meant to be rather discreet so that enemies don't necessarily sees it immediately," Yagami explained "But since the alloy of Jounin hitai-ate is different, it doesn't glow quite the same as regular hitai-ate."  
Both tilted their head, realizing that indeed – the metal of the hitai-ate the white-haired girl used as an obi for her yukata was different, naturally mate where they had been explained how to dull their own in order for the gleam of metal not to be seen by enemies while on missions...

Meanwhile, Tsume had called attention on her by claiming loudly "Tonight, children of the Moon Hime, we celebrate!" she called  
Indeed – contrarily to the usual, most of the numerous teen of all clan usually milling in the Inuzuka compound, that night all had headed home to their own compounds as all clans were celebrating privately first. They would of course all mingle back within a few hours, once all had privately celebrated any promotion, and honored any dead as needed.

The Uzumaki, Senju, Yuki and Hatake, since they were so few, had been of course invited to stay – as had the children born from Orochimaru's experimentations, especially those that didn't have a large clan to stay with, like Isao. Without much surprise, all of said children had opted to stay, Tenzo and Anko along with them.  
Hana had also dragged Iruka along, since the chuunin was an orphan – under much cat-calls from the clan-members, and a very approving smirk from her mother.

As for Sakura, while she didn't mind at all being there, she still wondered why she was among the invited too – as small as her familial unit was, she knew it was unusual for such an invite to have been given. Her parents hadn't answered her questions when they'd dragged her along, surprising her once more as it wasn't everyday Mebuki and Hizashi Haruno mingled with the clans, as civilian-born shinobi and career chuunin...

"We celebrate Ryota, who headed toward Death's Realms."  
A long mournful howl echoed, making Sakura and Ayame close rank around their team-mate as they all recognized the voice of Ryoushimaru, nin-ken partner of the kind chuunin who'd regularly helped the Kiba during the weekend training session, patiently explaining him the basis of _**Tsuuga**_, then _**Gatsuuga**__._  
One after the other, all nin-ken joined the sad melody – and with each voice added, sadness was receding, until all had a small smile on their face.

"We celebrate all of us, who've bravely protected the pack and the den!" this time, the howls were joyous and didn't really stop as she added "We celebrate a pup and a hunter, who earned their stripes as alpha!"  
Hana and Kiba shared a stunned glance as their mother called them forward, their friends pushing them along.  
Sakura couldn't help but lean forward to see better as Tsume and Yagami were each pushing claws humming with a wild, unfamiliar chakra along the Inuzuka clan mark – drawing a new claw mark, darker, in the middle of the large red marking. The difference was light enough that people that didn't knew the clan members well wouldn't realize it – but of course for the pink-haired, like for all the others that spent so much time around the canine clan, it was rather evident.

Once the cheers started to dwindle down once more, Tsume spoke again "We celebrate a new clan-mate, who earned her pack-stripes!"  
This time – it was Sakura who was pushed forward by her parents that were smiling proudly, stunned – sensing how surprised she was, the Prime Alpha told her "You saved one of our own, Sakura-chan. The pack always protects it's own!" a wink "The adoption means you've got access to all our jutsu, may bond with a nin-ken... But we can't give you our blood. Luckily, you can gain that on your own."

The pinkette nodded with a blinding smile, mentally going over her **Perk Points** total, and realizing she did have the 10PP necessary to gain a new bloodline thanks to the quest that had finally been completed earlier.  
She dumped the points in the correct category, gritting her teeth through the pain she had been expecting – if no one had dared yet unlock a new bloodline via ****Chaos********Interface****, they had theorized about the effects it would have on the one doing it.

It was rather evident that Chaos wouldn't propose the option if it would kill the user – but pain was rather logical when changing your body's very make-up.  
She did stumbled for a second, a knee hitting the ground – as the pain was recessing, Yagami stepped toward her, claws glowing once more, before drawing a pair of marks on her face. The girl recognized what she was doing – she may not have the tattoo the Inuzuka were born with, she now sported the stripes of an adult pack-member.

Akamaru was the first to call out for their new pack-mate, Kiba soon following, then Padfoot, Blanche and and Yagami – and all the clan.  
Even her vocal chords had changes, Sakura realized as she answered the call, the howling just as feral as that of all the other Inuzuka, be they four or two-legged.

"I can't believe you've both been marked by Yami-chan." Tsukimaru mused a few hours later, as the clan was mingling with the rest of the villagers in the impromptu night fair that had organized itself across the merchant district "It's like... The greatest honor, I'm so jealous!"  
The two shared a glance – they may know it, it was difficult to remember in their everyday life that the white-haired girl was the clan's ancestor, but once you remembered it, it really was a great honor.

"I'm especially jealous of Sakura-chan's stripes." the wild-haired girl mused "They're the old style, nobody has had those in centuries!"  
"And it wouldn't have been possible a few weeks ago." Yami-chan indicated, making Tsukimaru blush crimson as she realized that of course the other had heard "This growth-spur in the Forest of Death may have put me in a coma, it has had quite a few benefit." she admitted "I've awakened my youki."  
"You've what?!" Ren repeated, stunned – after all he remembered clearly the girl stating that youki had become all but impossible to use on the planet  
"Well, I've jumped to hanyou status a few level early." she explained

That much didn't surprise him, she was sporting tails after all, even if for now they were hidden thanks to Shippou's **Illusionary** **Pearl**, that she could now use with chakra, even if she hadn't needed it up until now, since her particular features were already well-known in the village. And of course, he'd felt himself the change taking him over with the leveling of the latest quest - the regular way for him, by going over the level 100 - but he hadn't yet had the time to take in all the changes that had occurred.

"And of course, hanyou have youki." a shrug "It's still rather sluggish compared to what it would be on Gaia, or on the old Earth, but I have re-obtained partial use of some of my old abilities." she explained  
"I see..." he focused on his own changes, realizing that she was saying the truth - he could once more feel the familiar feeling of the energy he'd used for so long as Ryoichi even if far more difficult to tame than before "But why the difference?" he wondered

"Because there is ambiant energy now." she pointed out "It was already there a a thousand years ago, but back then I still lacked a chakra network..."  
"Senjutsu!" Ren realized "That's what Tsume use for the alpha mark, and why youki can be awakened... The physical and mental element are already present in chakra, but the external source of energy was missing..."  
"And with Senjutsu, it's not missing." she nodded "Of course, there is a reason why everyone doesn't have youki nowadays... Senjutsu is a bitch to control, it's far wilder than magic was in our days, and very potent."

"But then... Why do youkai that come from Gaia loose so much of their abilities when they come?" Tsume mused, having heard part of the chat "Oh right, you said it... They don't have a working chakra network!"  
Yagami nodded, tails waving under their illusion – she was really thankful Naruto had accidentally started to work on people accepting more his status as jinchuuriki, thanks to both his part in the battle, and Kurama's own intervention, because if there was one thing she hadn't missed from the days of the District, it was the necessity of hiding her appearance from the regular humans.  
She would probably always need to hide her tails outside of the village – but she hoped that in time it didn't become essential within Konoha itself.  
For now, she would content herself with taking her real appearance within the Inuzuka clan walls.

¤.¤.¤

Their talk was interrupted by a rather loud squeal, making all those with canine senses – Sakura now among the number – wince.  
"I'm really sorry for all the times I did this back in the days..." the pink-head said, making them laugh, as she was nearly assaulted by an enthusiastic Ino  
As if called by the blond's loud call, the rest of their generation soon arrived, all congratulating the girl once they learned about the clan adoption – it wasn't something that happened often, and it was considered a great honor after all.  
They were surprised to see that Hinata arrived with her father and sister – and less surprisingly, with Neji, the two of them having grow closer over the course of the previous year.

"Hiashi really is trying." Tsume mused, approval clear in her voice – she knew after all that the man wasn't as heartless as he appeared, having been good friend with his wife back in the days, before she died from the complication's of Hanabi's, Hinata's little sister, birth  
That death had nearly broken the already quite serious man – but now, it seemed, he'd finally managed to grow past the hurt he always felt when he saw his eldest, that in looks and mind was so similar to the only woman he'd loved...

Indeed – he really was trying to mend the broken bonds with his daughter but also with the rest of the world, that much was clear as he greeted the other clan head far more amicably than he had in years, inquiring about the rumors he'd heard recently about the Inuzuka having retained more about the clans origins than most.  
Tsume answered his questions just as amicably.  
"It's really fascinating all that you've managed to keep from the very first day of the history of the world as we know it..." Hiruzen mused, the old hokage having arrived sometime while Tsume was explaining how the Uchiha and Hyuga came from brothers – and rather illustrious brothers at that

He had laughed at the Hyuga clan head, rather similar to the one Mikoto, the Uchiha's acting head and Sasuke's mother, had sported when she'd heard the news – and gone on pointing out, just like Ren had a year ago, that technically the Uchiha were more closely related to the Inuzuka or Uzumaki than them.  
The news had reassured Hiashi just as well as it had Mikoto.  
"I wonder if there are more closely related clans then..." the white-eyed man mused, intrigued now

"There was the Kaguya clan." Tsume answered "But I think they're all but gone now, and honestly it may be better, their kekkai genkai was powerful... But maybe too powerful as most of them tended to end up mad with bloodlust."  
"Still, it's sad their abilities are all but lost." the Sandaime mused, mourning the lost of knowledge  
"And of course, the Senju..."  
"Jiji!" a young voice interrupted the old hokage who'd been about to ask more about the last affirmation "Stop talking about boring things and come play! After all now that I can't take your hat, you have to have some time free, right?"

Hiruzen laughed light-heartedly at the young boy that was dragging him toward the usual games that always popped in a fair, bidding a good evening to the clan heads as he left them - there would be time later to ask his questions after all.  
"Me playing those wouldn't be very fair." he pointed out to his grand-son "After all, those are games for civilians." seeing the crestfallen look the other was sporting, he added "But if you want, I can coach you to win the prize yourself?"  
The boy"s answering smile was blinding.

¤.¤.¤

The next morning was calm and slow-paced, as most were sleeping off the excess of the night.  
Rather unusually, Naruto was among the first up, something niggling in the back of his mind – following the feeling, he soon was in the deepest part of the Inuzuka Compound, where he found Yagami, the girl sitting crossed-legged, clearly having been there and meditating for a while. She opened an eye as he arrived, and waved at him to come closer.  
Not questioning it, Naruto obeyed, taking a similar posture – as he was closing his eyes to fall in the familiar meditative state he'd so struggle to learn as a child, he was surprised to feel Yagami's hand close on his own – then an unfamiliar rush.

"What the..."  
He eyed around, noticing that his mindscape was different from usual.  
After all, the cave was far large than usual – and he wasn't alone.  
He wasn't alone at all, as on top of Yagami, there was also a second Kyuubi, this one on the same side of the seal as them...  
"Hime-chan... And me." the fox still behind the bars greeted  
"Me, mini-Yondaime." the other answered in kind, making Yagami roll her eyes  
"What the?" Naruto intelligently chimed in

The white-haired girl that now looked older than the blond rolled her eyes, and the scenery around them changed into a lush forest rather similar to Konoha's own, the bars jailing one of the two half of the nine-tails now looking like the enclosures of the more dangerous training grounds.  
"Ah, much better." she sighted approvingly, before settling on a nearby trunk  
Naruto looked around him, realizing that as similar to the forests he knew as it first looked – this place was different, a bit wilder, a bit more primal and untouched by men, and paradoxically, he could see the minute signs of life proving that this place was inhabited.

"It's... Home..." the two bijuu said at the same time, a hint of longing in their voice that Naruto could understand only too well  
"It is." the young goddess nodded with a wistful smile – after all, the small house it the woods was the place she'd spent the longest time in all of her life, the place where she'd watched over her descendants, met the bijuu and where Inari had been born  
It was also the first Sanctuary created since the disaster – as powerless as she'd been, she still was a goddess, and her mere presence in a place for long tended to leave it's mark on the lands.

Of course it meant she had had to be careful, not wanting to make the place too dangerous – but like it or not her main aspect was Death, and the place had gained a cold feeling that meant only those blood-related to her and those that didn't fear Death but understood the inevitability of it could ever feel safe in this place...  
"Like I told you years ago, Naruto, you only have half of Kura-chan in you." a smile "I freed the second half during the invasion, making your father free to pass on."  
She eyed the seal she was seeing from within the boy's mindscape for the first time – feeling the two lingering presence, but those were simply echoes of the real souls and not the souls themselves so she didn't say anything – in time, the blond Uzumaki would meet his parents it seemed.

Naruto smiled at the announce, grateful – he doubted that being stuck in the Shinigami's stomach had been fun. While he would have loved to see the man that was his father, and one of the greatest heroes he admired – he was happier for the man to have managed to pass on.  
"I've promised to find a way to free all nine of you." she said toward the imprisoned bijuu "And I will in time, but right now, I'm not skilled enough to manage it without killing your jinchuuriki."  
"And of course, you won't kill them just to free us." the other nodded, not too surprised "As much as you've always warned father about human nature, and the impossibility of eternal peace, you never were one for indiscriminate slaughter either."

Naruto nodded along – not seeing the bijuu glance at him, a bit of consideration in his eyes. The chakra beast had seen the blond's memories after all, and despite still acting as if he didn't like him, he did have to admit to himself at least – that the boy had been honest in his proposal of partnership, and there were worst humans to be associated with.  
Even if he was friend with not one but two Uchiha!

"Still." Yagami smiled "I may not be able to free you just yet, I may have come up with something else..."  
The two bijuu and the jinchuuriki turned toward her, head tilted with curiosity.  
"I can give you a body."  
The affirmation echoed like thunder in both beast's mind – the bijuu were chakra construct, without physical body, and it was because of that that they couldn't change their size in the real world, having no medium in which condensate their chakra like the daiyoukai did with their youki while in humanoid form, making them unable to hide themselves away from the human or blend among them...

"How..."  
"Well," she gave them an impish smile "I may not be Chaos himself, I have some of his powers... Modifying an immortal soul is something I can do."  
Of course, she didn't say – it would mean using not only her ****Revolutionary********Art******,** the power over change, and the ****Abyssine********Art******,** the power to permanently modify an immortal soul.  
Something she'd never done before – but well, it was the only solution she could see.  
A solution she'd come up with after years of studying _**fuuinjutsu**__,_ the one jutsu branch related the closest to Chaos' ability to create change, and the new understanding about Chaos' powers she'd managed to glimpse during her time as a spirit...

¤.¤.¤

Naruto may not be as old as the bijuu he held – but just like him, he knew Yagami well enough to realize there must be more to the situation than she said.  
"What about the consequences?"  
"Eh?"  
"No coma? Days bed-ridden? Undue hurt?" Naruto asked pointedly  
"The brat is right." one of the two fox nodded  
"We know you, Hime-chan." the other completed

Yagami smiled helplessly "Well, I can't really say... I think it will tire me, but in a way you would do me a service by agreeing."  
"What do you mean?"  
"As dangerous as my powers are for my health, I must learn to master them before Kaguya manages to awaken."  
"Oh. Alright then, go on!" the blond gestured  
"But before giving you a body, there's the matter of there being two of you right now, eh Kura-chan."

"Yeah. But the brat won't survive if you give me back my other half." the fox still sealed pointed out  
"Yet leaving the two of you as you are right now isn't possible either." Yagami nodded, agreeing with his statement – they may not show it, she could feel the constant pain the two chakra half were constantly enduring  
"So what do you suggest?"  
"You stay separated for now, but share your chakra. Since you're the same being it should be rather easy..."  
"Thus taking the missing chakra to be more balanced." the two foxes realized

The one that was free drew near the fence, stretching a paw toward his counterpart – who took it. Immediately, Naruto could feel the change happening, as chakra started to circulate between his and Yagami's body out of their mind-scape – Yin chakra coming from the goddess' tenant while his own was giving some of his Yang chakra...  
The process took what seemed to last mere seconds in their mind, but actually went on for hours in the real world. Inari, whom his mother had alerted about what she was about to attempt, had thankfully raised a barrier around the two of them before the Kyuubi's chakra could be felt around Konoha.

"Now, let's get to the fun part!" Yagami claimed with an amused smile as the two foxes finally separated, both looking exhausted "For the sealed Kura-chan, I'll also be meddling a bit with the seal to set up a **Summoning** **Contract** between Naruto and you."  
The fox eyed the blond "Alright. But if you dare to call me Kura-chan, I'll bite you."  
"Hey! I've never called you that! Besides, I don't even know your name, you didn't bother introducing yourself!"  
"Nor did you!"

"Uh? Really? My bad! I'm Uzumaki Naruto, even if you already knew! And I hope we can be good partners before Yami-chan manages to free you! Yoroshiku!"  
A snort.  
"Meh. Good enough, I guess." the fox shrugged "I'm Taishou Kurama. Don't call me Kura-chan."  
"Taishou?"  
"They didn't really want to keep Kaguya's surname," the white-haired goddess explained "so I offered mine."  
"I can understand that." Naruto nodded "Wait! That means we're a family too! Yami-chan's my many-time ancestor after all! Does it mean I have to call you oji-san?"

The fox rolled his eyes once more – but it was rather clear that behind the disgruntled face, he was rather amused at the affirmation, and didn't truly minded it.  
"But wait... Does it mean you're two Kurama, right now?"  
"I guess I could take another name." the free fox mused "After all I'm the one out of the seal, I can at least let you keep our name. What name should I take instead?" he wondered  
"What about Kagetsu?" Naruto, surprisingly, was the one to suggest after a few seconds of silence, as everyone thought about the topic

"That's... Not bad." the fox admitted, surprised by the loud boy's insight in his choice – he rather liked the fact that the blond had put together the symbol for fire, with which he was usually associated, to the moon that he still associated Yagami with  
"Kage-chan then!" Yagami nodded enthusiastically "Oh, regarding the _**kuchyose**__..._ Since you can't really call someone as powerful everyday, the more chakra you'll put into the jutsu, the larger portion of Kura-chan's chakra you'll call outside... And so logically, the taller he'll be. When outside," she added toward the fox "you'll behave like a regular summon, that is to say you'll be able to get hurt since you'll have a real body, and will have to reverse-summon yourself if you take too much damages."  
The fox nodded, and Yagami's power suddenly surged, green eyes gaining golden tomoes as she dipped in Chaos' powers...

**[******Chaos**** skill reached **35/50!]**

The girl swayed a bit on her feet as the ocean of power receded inside her and both Naruto and her were propelled out of their mindscape.

¤.¤.¤

"Ready to try?" Yagami asked with a smile - she was tired, and probably wouldn't be able to do anything too straining for the next week but her now hanyou body meant she recovered faster than before her coma  
"Er... I don't know **kuchyose**." the blond answered  
"Here, I'll do it first." Yagami suggested "Kage-chan doesn't really need it, since he isn't sealed, but it'll give him an easy path to the outside..."  
The boy nodded, focusing on the hand seal the girl was going through slowly enough to let him follow _"Boar, Dog, Bird, Monkey, Ram."_ he repeated, a step behind her  
"Remember, not too much chakra."

With few drop of blood, and two clouds of smoke – two form appeared.  
Kagetsu was about as tall as Blanche, while Kurama was as tall as the largest battle nin-ken of the Inuzuka.  
Inari let the barrier fall, confident that the irregular surges of bijuu chakra were now over – the fact that they now had a body meant that their chakra wasn't bubbling on the surface permanently, suffusing the whole area instantaneously, instead becoming similar to Yagami's own power – it would leave it's mark if they stayed too long in one place, but otherwise wouldn't be immediately noticeable as long as they didn't use too powerful jutsu.

****[Hidden Event! What it means to be alive...****  
__The bijuu may have been born from Kaguya's powers, they are now their own beings__  
****Goal******:** give a physical body to the bijuu** (2/10)**  
****Reward******:** +2*40XP, +2PP, Kagetsu and Kurama have have unlocked **Chaos Game 4.0**]

"So?" Yagami asked at the two foxes that were each sat on their haunches, taking in their environment "How does it feel?"  
"Its... Constraining, and confusing." Kage was the one to answer  
"That's because you're not used to have your chakra enclosed like it is... And those are your senses."  
"We already had senses!"  
"Chakra sensing is different from physical senses."

"How do you manage to feel so many things at the same time, isn't it tiring?"  
"You get used to it. Besides, you have far better senses than humans, for example, since I gave you the body make-up of a daiyoukai. So you'll have to learn to lower your senses according to the situation, just like I do, or like the Inuzuka and Hatake does."  
Kagetsu and Kurama shared a stunned glance at the casual affirmation – realizing what Naruto hadn't.  
A daiyoukai body – it meant, eventually, being able to even take a human form, to be able to mingle hidden among the humans. Something that, with their eternal lifespan, would come in handy one day or another.

Putting the information to the side for now, they instead continued to look at their environment, fascinated by their new senses. Now that Inari had dropped his barrier, they were soon met by the rest of the pack. All had been intrigued that the barrier that had been up for hours, but they knew better than to bother three Uzumaki hidden behind seals – who knew what kind of finicky, dangerous and potentially explosive seal they could be working on?  
"So, what have you been plotting, my dear musume?"  
"Otou-san, meet my adorable Kagetsu!" Yagami enthusiastically introduced, the fox raising a paw in greeting

"Oh, then am I a grand-father again?" the jounin wonder "You really should warn me if I've got other grand-children around!"  
"Well, given that Kurama and Kagetsu are the first of nine..." Naruto mused  
"Oh, so are you the Kyuubi?" Sakura realized "Did Yagami manage to free you?"  
"Not quite." Kagetsu corrected "Kurama is still stuck in the seal, but Naruto and him now have a Summoning Contract. What Hime-chan did do is giving us a body..."  
"Which means you can now manage you own size rather than erase a mountain with an accidental swipe of tail." Ren was the one to realize, sneaking an arm against his mate "Well done, __bambina___."_

The girl smiled – visibly tired, but happy while Kurama was heard grumbling something about how it had only happened once, and centuries ago, making the people around him sweat-drop and understand just how much the change had been needed.  
Since they had all been hearing about Yagami's search for a way to help the bijuu over the years – they also had heard numerous stories about the era of the Sage, as such they all approached the two foxes with a bit of apprehension, but rather respectfully and with quite a bit of curiosity, something that was a rather unexpected change for the two bijuu.

They soon realized that despite Kagetsu and Kurama being two halves of the same being – they seemed to have a different character, yet still share a mind. You could talk to one of the two and have the second added his grain of salt as if he'd been listening to the conversation from the beginning. Ren had soon compared them to the elemental Orochi youkai of old, Yagami nodding along at the comparison - two bodies, but two minds so close as to be able to act as one.  
Kurama was more grumpy than Kagetsu – while Kagetsu was calmer.

The free fox also felt more feminine than it's counterpart sealed in Naruto. Sakura, ever so inquisitive, had been the one to ask about it – had had been reminded that since they didn't have a physical body up until then, they didn't have a fixed biological gender either. Each half of the Kyuubi had as such been free to chose which gender they wanted for their body when they'd been summoned.

"So now that you've managed to create a body for Kurama and Kagetsu, does it mean that you're going to help Gaara and Shukaku too?" Hinata wondered  
Yagami nodded "Them, and the others. I've been meaning to take a look at the others." her eyes were laughing as she added "After all, I've already promised the Tsuchikage I'd drop by!"  
"Does it means you're leaving?!" Naruto protested  
"I may be traveling for a bit yes." the white-head nodded "After all you're all grown up, you're even a jounin!"  
"Can I take back the promotion?"  
"Nope, too late!" a wink "Don't worry, I'm not gone quite yet, and it won't be forever!"

"Besides," Ren pointed out "you may be traveling too."  
"What's this about?" Kiba wondered  
"The old pervert dropped by while you were training for the tournament." the blond answered with a shrug "He had a proposition for me..."

He was rather ambivalent about Jiraya – on one side, he had helped save Yagami, years ago, and he always dropped by when he was in town, giving them all training tips, and bringing Naruto presents from around the land.  
On the other side, it was difficult not to resent at least a bit the man that he knew to be his godfather – the man that hadn't done his duty to him when he was young, and alone.

Of course, he understood now that the man had still been, and in some measure still was mourning Minato, that he had truly loved like a son. It didn't excuse the fact that he hadn't been there when he should have – but it did explain the why.  
And of course, even before he'd earned his hitai-ate, Yagami and Ren had gone out of their way, probably revealing some secrets they shouldn't have – to explain to him just how essential the Toad Sannin was for Konoha in his role as a Spy Master, something that made it necessary for him to be out and about around the lands.

"What kind of proposition? Come on, you're killing us with the suspense!" Kiba protested loudly, making their other year-mate roll their eyes, amused at his antics  
"He proposed to take me on as his apprentice."  
" A Sannin mentor, that's impressive." Shikamaru whistled lowly "No matter his more questionable habits..."  
"I guess it's the logical continuation of the jounin madness..." Ayame sighed "Kakashi-san reads porn, Jiraya-san writes it... I don't even want to knows what hidden vice the hokage has!" she laughed as she warned them "You should beware, all of you new jounin, the madness will creep up with you even realizing it!"  
"Still, it's not only the apprenticeship, right?" Sasuke noted "Otherwise you'd already have accepted."

"He wants to take me on a training trip. For three years."  
"Three years?!"  
"But why?"  
"To keep Naruto out of sight." Kagami was the one to answer, eyeing the group – knowing they would need to know given how close the young shinobi all were to each other "Crow is working with him, and has infiltrated an organization... A group of S-ranked missing-nin whose aim are the nine bijuu."  
The affirmation silenced the group for a few seconds, then Hinata was the one to protest "But Naruto was finally starting to be accepted by everyone!"  
"Which is why I don't really agree with the plan of making him disappear like that." Kagami nodded "But at the same time, it's true that the longer he stays in Konoha, the more at risk we are of another full-scaled attack to get to him."

"Then... Why not do both?" Isao wondered calmly – seeing he suddenly had everyone's attention on him he blushed a bit, then forged on "I mean, he could go on a training trip, but come back from time to time, without schedule so the enemy doesn't have the time to prepare an attack for when he's home... And civilian don't forget too much about their good will."  
"This could work." Ren was the first one to muse

Naruto nodded along "Yeah, I'll ask that to Ero-Sennin." the blond decided, making the others laugh at the unusual nickname he'd granted the Sage  
Sasuke was looking rather thoughtful, and as the group was breaking up, he went to his distant cousin.  
"Say..."  
"Recruits have to be recommended by someone. A visit with a Yamanaka is also mandatory, and it'll probably be even harder for you given what happened with your brother and your age." Sasuke nodded, not too surprised – but he had to enter the Anbu  
After all, as much as Yagami was all but sharing the role of Shadow to the Hokage with Kagami – he knew that the girl wouldn't eternally be held by Konoha, he could feel it.

She had peoples – even if they where gigantic chakra beasts – to take care of across the lands, a son that would eventually go back to Uzushiogakure... The goddess wouldn't be Naruto's Shadow when he earned the hat he'd set his eyes on since he was but a kid – he would be.  
And if he wanted to be ready, he had to learn – and not let himself get swallowed by the darkness.

After all – the Uchiha heir was far from stupid, and so, once he'd realized that his best friend was Otsutsuki Asura and Senju Hashirama's reincarnation – guessing that he was Otsutsuki Indra and Uchiha Madara's own reincarnation wasn't too hard.  
And both his previous incarnation had fallen – for the lies of a mad goddess' spirit, and to their own darkness.  
Sasuke had no intention of falling.

¤.¤.¤

Tsunade pinched her nose, then eyed Inari.  
"Not that I don't understand, or even approve what you want to do, but... How do you know it won't end the same way as last time?"  
"Because I won't be an idiot this time." the red-head answered "I don't intend to publicize my search for the remaining Uzumaki hidden across the land, our Inheritance lends itself rather well to finding each others."  
"So I've heard from Mito-obaa-sama." Tsunade nodded

"I'll gather those I found discreetly, and send them back to Konohagakure. The clan won't step back in Uzu no Kuni until I've made it all but impregnable." a smile "A Sanctuary for us and our allies, a death-trap for our enemies."  
"It was already all that." Tsunade pointed out – not enjoying being the voice of reason, but needing to see if her jounin had really thought his scheme through, or if it was just wishful thinking on his part  
"I've already started to redraw the protective sealing scheme. And this time, I did add an offensive layer."

"There wasn't already one?" the Senju hime couldn't help but ask, eyes full of disbelief – 90% loss on the enemy side without an offensive layer, really  
"Nope. Those were purely defensive seals." the Uzumaki ancestor smirked, fangs showing  
"Alright, I give in. I'll try to sent you in the areas you need as long as you give me a list before-hand." the Godaime relented – barely surprised when the young looking jounin took out a list out of nowhere "And you better be ready to pay for this in paperwork!"  
Inari saluted jauntily, and left by the window.

"Hokage-sama, Haruno Sakura here to see you like asked." Shizune announced as the woman's hand was inching toward the sake bottle she kept hidden in her desk  
She sighed tiredly, than answered "Let her in."  
The pink-haired girl entered, looking calm but intrigued – after all, while she knew that she hadn't done anything bad, she didn't know why she was there. Sakura looked wilder since she'd been taken in by the Inuzuka, Tsunade noted – once more, her eyes stopped on the claws and fangs the girl shouldn't have, just like the change in her very chakra.

She had seen it happen during the adoption – but she still didn't really know what she had seen, something incredibly frustrating for the medic-nin.  
"I've received your application." she said rather than ask her questions, knowing it probably was hidden under the Clan Secrecy Act  
Sakura straightened, waiting patiently.  
"I know that your chakra has changed. Has it affected your chakra control?"  
"It had, but I've brought it back up to par." Sakura answered truthfully, impressing the hokage – but then again, there was a reason why she'd singled the girl among the pile of applications she'd received

"Well, you better be ready to work hard, my training won't be any easier than Yagami-chan's own." Tsunade warned, making the girl's eyes widened "Congratulation, chuunin Haruno, you're my new apprentice. I expect you ready for training tomorrow at six."  
"Wouhou!"  
"Got a new apprentice to traumatize, eh, hime?"  
Tsunade rolled her eyes as Jiraya let his chameleon jutsu down, appearing in the now empty office – he must have arrived after Inari's departure if this was the only thing he had to say to her.

"Sakura was trained by Ren-san and Yagami-chan." Tsunade reminded him "I doubt she'll break like damsel in distress."  
"She won't." Jiraya agreed easily "So, I've got news from my own brat."  
"So?"  
"Well apparently he can now summon the Kyuubi, whose name is Kurama by the way, and doesn't want to leave for too long."  
"Wait, what?"  
A shrug "Our resident goddess' latest miracle apparently. She'll drop by latter I think, Naruto mentioned something about a trip to see the other bijuu?"  
"Right, sensei said something about that..." the godaime remembered "He was right. Even when she isn't in the room she manages to give me head-aches!"

¤.¤.¤

Yagami smiled as she tied a hitai-ate around a long-suffering looking Kagetsu's neck – officially marking him as her third nin-ken, and thus easily explaining his presence away.  
Of course, she had had to fill some paperwork, and the fox had had to prove his qualifications – but for an immortal beast whose father had created ninshu, ninjutsu really weren't that difficult to learn, no matter how atrocious his chakra control was now that he was finally in a state to have some chakra control.  
"Alright, all set. Let's go, we've got a beetle to find."

"Must we really?" the fox complained "Chomei's always so... perky, and happy, it's exhausting!"  
"We've got a mission in the area, it would be stupid not to take care of her while we're at it."  
"I know, I know," the fox mumbled – not even gaining a second look as they strolled through the village  
Even if the civilian knew nothing about summons and other way too esoterical matters for them – any civilian living in a Hidden Village got used to shinobi's eccentricities

A talking animal – that was nothing to be surprised about once they'd spotted the leaf hitai-ate replacing a collar around the fox's neck. The one thing that could have made them take note of Kagetsu was his species – but between his size, the fact neither of the other two nin-ken looked worried, the only tail visible, and the recent increase in reputation of Naruto, no one even realized one half of the great and terrifying Kyuubi was walking among them.  
At the main gates, their team of the day was already waiting – in the people of Naoki, Tsukimaru and Fuki. Akimichi Katashi, team 12's sensei had been among the casualties of the invasion, leaving the Uchiha and Inuzuka in the same situation as Fuki.

They had also been Tsunade's condition on sending her toward the other villages – the hokage would give her the missions that would sent her in the correct countries, and in return, she'd formally take on a genin team. Of course, knowing a bit about the three from the pack had helped Yagami accept – and truth be told, she really didn't mind.  
If there was one thing she had in common with Iruka, even if their methods were very different – it was that she loved teaching, and seeing the children grow under her care. There was a reason she was an alpha, after all – and it wasn't only because of her abilities as a warrior, or a leader...  
By the trio's side, a young man wearing the hitai-ate of Takigakure, dark eyes darting nervously around. He nearly jumped out of his skin as Kagetsu and Padfoot, unable to resist, padded discreetly to his back before barking and yiping loudly.

****[Secondary Quest! What makes a Hero...****  
__Takigakure needs its leader back home, and there is peril ahead__  
****Reward******:** +5XP per goal, +2PP upon completion]

"Are you alright, Shibuki-san?"  
"I... I... Yes, yes of course!"  
The three genin shared a glance – it was difficult to believe the man really was a chuunin! Not to mention how unconventional it was for a shinobi to be the one to ask for an escort mission...

"Alright, let's hit the road then. Are you comfortable with tree-running?"  
"Yes... But not for too long..."  
The three genin shared a new glance – even if most weren't as familiar with tree-running as the shinobi from Konoha were, by the time one hit the chuunin rank it should have been something mastered! And how could a chuunin imply he had less endurance than them? How the man had earned his promotion in a Chuunin Exam was a mystery...

¤.¤.¤

Just like he'd warned – if he wasn't as slow as a civilian, Shibuki's stamina was just on par with Yagami's three genin, edging on the lower edge of a chuunin's acceptable stamina.  
And his stamina wasn't the only problem – the trek toward the northern border proved that the Takigakure shinobi was also as easily scared as he'd demonstrated on the first day. But as lacking as he was – Shibuki was also proving himself knowledgeable on theoretical knowledge, something all realized when Yagami, started to grill the three genin while they were traveling, as Shibuki was able to answer all the questions the trio didn't know the answer to.  
Yagami had discreetly upped the level of her questions – and been rather surprised when she realized that the man even had some jounin level knowledge about ninjutsu.

The only reason why he seemed so lacking she realized – was the creeping fear that was holding him back in every aspect of his life.  
"I wonder what happened to him to make him like that?" Fuki mumbled on the third evening as they watched the chuunin that was already asleep "I mean, he's the worst coward I've ever seen... But he doesn't seem so bad beneath it despite being rather stand-offish..."  
"People react differently when things happen to them." Yagami pointed out "You decided to get stronger." the dark red-head nodded, dark eyes growing even more somber as she thought about her reasons for growing up "The more people ignored him, the louder Naruto became..."  
Naoki was the one to nod at that – remembering that indeed, the blond had been a pain when they'd all started the Academy, only calming down a bit before the Uchiha's massacre and finally settling down as the loud but not unbearable boy he still was nowadays.

"When I was rescued from Orochimaru by Konoha," she completed "I couldn't talk for weeks. And I refused to use most of the powers the mad-man had implanted in me for years, all but running away from the fact they were now my own powers." the three genin eyes widened – and the jounin was the only one to hear Shibuki's breath hitch, the man having only faking to be asleep  
"What? No way, you're strong!" Fuki protested  
"No one is ever always strong." Yagami retorted "We all have moments when we're afraid, or unable to step forward anymore." a smile "That's when your friends pick you up and help you."  
"That's why we Konoha shinobi always work in teams, right?" Tsukimaru smiled "Just like us Inuzuka act for the pack!"

"The pack?" Naoki repeated, nonplussed  
"I can't believe you've been team-mate with an Inuzuka for months yet you don't even know what a pack is!" Fuki laughed "I only visit on the weekends yet I know!" she teased with an amused smile "The pack is like... Friends, family and team-mates, all at once!"  
Tsukimaru nodded "Uh uh, the pack is important. Inuzuka aren't loners like the Uchiha!" a shrug "It is rather vexing you know to see all the teams from last year, most of them your year-mates, always hanging out in the clan on the weekends, while my own team-mates haven't even accepted my invitation once..." the girl was only half joking, the lone genin boy realized

He shrugged, a bit embarrassed, and not really knowing what to answer – after all he had been invited multiple times to the compound, yet had never accepted. Even if they weren't hidden behind the high walls of the old Uchiha clan compound, and had relaxed on quite a bit of their traditions – friends and team-mates not from the clan entering their home still felt rather alien, like an invasion of privacy.  
As such, he hadn't realized how much it meant for his team-mate – but right now, it was easy to read on her face how much it bothered her, even if she had never said it before. He frowned – then again, with Ami in their team, it would probably have degenerated in a shouting match, the possessive fan-girl would have taken such an invitation in a romantic way when it clearly wasn't.

He eyed Fuki – just like Sakura or Ino, the girl had changed since they'd graduated, and it was difficult to remember her as the fan-girl she'd been once upon a time. He felt bad about it, but he had to admit to himself that he really enjoyed their team more with Fuki in it...  
"Well, I guess you can tell me all I don't know about your clan." he offered with a smile "Or maybe I'll come and see for myself when we get back home..."  
"Yatta! You'll see, weekend training sessions are awesome!" Tsukimaru crowed, before remembering Shibuki was supposedly sleeping  
Fuki nodded her approval, saying in a lower voice "Yes, the weekend sessions are great, whatever you need to improve, there's always someone that can help." a smile "And they let me in without a second thought, despite the fact I was so mean to some of them during our Academy days..."

¤.¤.¤

Shibuki hadn't said anything – but the next day, he was less stand-offish toward the Konoha team than he had been up until now.  
They arrived near the tall waterfall, that had earned the country and the Hidden Village it hosted their name, that afternoon.  
"Wow," the Inuzuka kunoichi whistled "I'd heard it was impressive but I didn't expect that waterfall to be that tall!"  
Indeed – the waterfall they were seeing was twice as tall as the cliff where the Hokage's faces were carved in Konoha, and just as large, and they could seen other waterfalls to their left and right.

"Takigakure is known for the fact it is naturally impregnable." Yagami explained "Only the shinobi of their village knows how to find the entrance, and it's built within an old crater. Despite being stuck between four countries, two of them hosting one of the Great Five Hidden Village, they have never been successfully invaded." a smile "It's even said that no foreign shinobi has ever stepped inside their village, but I don't know if it's true, or only a legend..."  
Shibuki smiled at the description – and would have answered the last affirmation when they were interrupted by a chorus of young voices "Shibuki-sama! Okaerinasai!"  
Seemingly out of nowhere, a few kids had arrived, swarming around the chuunin.

The scene was rather cute – and revealing a new side to the scaredy shinobi, that seemed to be a natural with children if the enthusiastic way he was greeted was a good clue – but it was cut short by a painful whisper and the scent of blood "Shibuki-sama..."  
The five shinobi turned toward the new arrival – and a little girl's scream pierced the sudden silence "Kaa-chan!"  
The woman wavered – and was caught by Yagami before she could collapse.  
"What happened?" the jounin asked urgently, hands already glowing green as she tried to heal the woman as fast as she could, feeling she already had lost quite a bit of blood

"An attack..." the woman whispered, before fainting  
"Don't worry." Yagami reassured the little girl that was eyeing her mother, loudly crying "The wound is already better." the little girl sniffed, and nodded  
A hand sign – and the three genin were already taking their kunai out and jumping forward as four missing-nin had emerged from the nearby waterfall, clearly in pursuit of the wounded woman.  
"You're not helping?" a small boy asked from behind Yagami's three nin-ken, who'd all shifted to a taller size to cover them

"I'm a jounin-sensei." Yagami answered "My role starts when they can't do anything more." a smile, as she pointed at the on-going fight "Right now, they aren't doing to bad are they?"  
"They're strong!" another child confirmed, stars in his eyes  
Truth be told – the three genin were doing rather well, even if they weren't that used to work together, having been assigned together for barely a week. Naoki and Tsukimaru knew how to work together from before, while Fuki had learnt to adapt herself rather well to all kind of team-mates with the week-end sessions. Between the three of them, the enemy was soon realizing things had gone awry – and were retreating back behind the waterfall.

"Cowards!" Tsukimaru snorted, before the trio turned back toward their sensei "Are we giving chase?"  
Yagami pointed toward Shibuki, who stumbled "What can we do?" he protested, a hit of hysteria in his voice "You're barely more than children yourselves!"  
"He realizes we've already won the first fight?" Fuki mumbled  
"Besides," Naoki added "how can a chuunin say something as idiotic... Just children. Wake up, man!" he added, raising his voice and turning toward the chuunin "We aren't children, we're shinobi, and right now if you don't fucking wake up you'll loose your home!"  
"Don't be mean to Shibuki-sama!" the little girl protested

Yagami sighed – Naoki wasn't that vehement usually, but the situation was striking rather close to home for the Uchiha she realized.  
"No, he's right..." Shibuki was the one to call back the girl that was sticking her tongue out, before turning toward Yagami "Jounin Hatake, this is a formal request as leader of Takigakure... Will you help me save my village?"  
"Wait... He's the leader?" Tsukimaru mumbled, stunned "Don't they have... I don't know, like a Takikage, or something like that?"  
"Kage is a title formally recognize only for the Five Great Villages, even if we don't really care about the few smaller village that uses it as long as the bearer really is strong enough." Yagami explained, before adding toward the chuunin "Shibuki-san, we're Konoha shinobi." a smile "We always help our allies!"

¤.¤.¤

Since they had both the children and the unconscious woman to protect, Yagami had winked "A secret for a secret."  
With a pulse of chakra, a new tree had been born in the forest – this one empty inside, to hide the civilians, and the white-head had left a _**kage**_ _**bunshin**_ behind to protect them if needed.  
_"__**Mokuton**__?"_ Shibuki whispered, stunned "I'd heard there was a new member in the Senju clan, but hadn't realized it was you."  
"Because the one you've heard about isn't me, it's Senju Tenzo." she answered "I told you the other night," he blushed at the reminder he'd been caught listening on their talk, even if she hadn't outed him to the genin "I'm one of Orochimaru's former toys. He gave me more bloodlines than anyone else in existence... And against all odds, I survived, and was rescued." a smile "Even in Konoha, most don't realize I've got additional bloodlines on top of the ones I was born with."

Shibuki nodded, taking it for the show of trust it was – a secret for a secret, like she'd said, as they were now on a small hidden path taking them behind the waterfall, in a large maze-like network of damp caves.  
The entrance toward Takigakure.  
"Here, this is a secondary way." he explained, pointing at one of the multiple pool bubbling around  
"If I'd known, I'd have taken my best swim-suit!" Fuki joked before following the chuunin, that had already jumped in  
They arrived in a large lake, with an island in the middle of it, hosting one gigantic tree, and on the outer banks , a few old style houses and a lush forest. Takigakure wasn't very big – and right now, it was quite empty.

"They've taken the whole village as hostages." Tsukimaru realized, furious – then nose twitching "Incoming!"  
"They're here for a reason, I've got to go!" Shibuki said urgently  
"Then go." the Inuzuka nodded "I'll hold them back!"  
"I'm staying with you." Fuki added  
The wild-haired girl nodded to her team-mate, and Naoki turned toward the chuunin "I'm with you."  
The other nodded – and it was only a moment later that he realized "Where's your sensei?"

"Don't worry about it." the Uchiha reassured him "if there's one thing I've learned from my cousin's rambling, it's that Yagami-sensei will always be there when needed." a smile "But that she'll also always let us try to do what we can before interfering."  
"It's not really the time for teaching!" the chuunin protested  
"On the contrary," a voice whispered in his ear, making him jump as he realized said jounin had been there all along "It's the best time to learn the more important lessons."  
A few moments later, the tunnels of limestone were replaced by a different feeling, as they left the rocky underground to enter what clearly was a tree – a gigantic tree, the tunnels entering deeper within it, and with an unearthly feeling that felt strangely familiar.

"This isn't regular chakra is it?" Naoki mused "Just like it's been in Konoha since the invasion..."  
"What you feel is a mix of natural chakra and holy powers." Yagami confirmed "And indeed, it's similar to what has been done to protect Konoha." her eyes were glowing in the darkness – and colors apart, the Uchiha realized, they now had a very familiar shape...  
Well, the young jounin had said she had multiple bloodlines she didn't publicize, even if it hadn't taken it to meant his own was among the number.

"This is our sacred tree." Shibuki explained "And this," he added as they arrived in a small, naturally shaped room where water was dripping from the unseen top of the tree into a wooden pool "is why they're here."  
He took a clear gourd, and dipped it in the basin, filing it with crystalline water.

"I know you can hear me, Shibuki!" a loud voice proclaimed from the outside – sneaking a peak through a nearby knot in the wood, Naoki realized that what appeared to be the leader of the missing-nin was at the base of the giant tree, his men around him and the missing villagers tied not too far away "You know what I want!"  
"Suien." the chuunin sighed as the young Uchiha realized that indeed the man wore a hitai-ate with the symbol of Taki, slashed like all missing-nin "To think one of our own shinobi would betray us..."  
Below, the man was still shouting "If you don't bring me the Hero Water, I'll kill every last villager! Starting by the kids!"  
"Hero Water?" Naoki mused, eyeing the glass bottle the other had tied to his belt

"Like you said, this place is special." Shibuki admitted "And the water produced here has very unique properties, which have helped us survive as a Hidden Village despite how small we are and the lack of kage level shinobi." Shibuki explained "But the production is very slow, this amount," he pointed at the containers he held "takes about a hundred years to be filtered by the tree."  
"And what is so special about it?"  
"Anyone drinking it will immediately become several times stronger." a sigh "The problem is..."  
"No power is free." the Uchiha guessed easily

"Indeed. The price is taken out on the one drinking it, in lifespan." a shrug "During the three wars, we've lost more shinobi to the Hero Water than to the enemies on the battlefield. This is why it's access is controlled by the village's leader." a sigh "And this is how my father, the previous leader, lost his life." a frown "What's the point of being a hero, if your only price is death?"  
"That's a question only you can decide the answer of for yourself." Yagami answered with a sigh, now easily guessing at the root of the chuunin's problems – she gestured toward the knot "But I'd take a look at those people out there believing in you for the beginning of an answer."  
With a gentle push, she shoved the man forward – and he stood stunned, torn between the terror that forbade him to act, the wish to save his people, not to let down all the children calling for him... Terrified, yet still believing he'd save them somehow.

Yagami sent a glance at Naoki, and the Uchiha nodded, understanding what the girl wanted.  
Shibuki would come through, the Uchiha now firmly believed – but in the mean-time, he'd buy the time necessary for him to realize it.  
The genin jumped outside, a kunai grazing the hand of the man Shibuki had identified as Suien, while around him three tall canine were jumping forward – Blanche snatching the hostage girl while Padfoot and Kagetsu placed themselves between the rogue shinobi and the hostages.

While initially surprised, Suien soon pulled himself together, jumping toward him with a call of _**"Takigakure Ryu: Mizukiri no Yaiba!"**_that_ the _young Uchiha countered by copying the jutsu – but as fast as he'd been, the other was a jounin, with a clear mastery of his skills, and within the fist few moment of their sword fight over the water, he was pushing violently back, having earned a bloody gash across his face  
Naoki frowned – the blood was entering his right eye, hampering his _**dojutsu**_, and his own natural and rather expected affinity for _**katon**_ put him at a clear disadvantage against the missing-nin.

He barely dodged the next attack, sending at the same time a wave of shuriken that multiplied in the air with a call of _**"Kage shuriken no jutsu!"**_ earning him a second of respite.  
Just as he was fearing the worst, a call of _"__**Gatsuga**__!"_ echoed, and Suien was suddenly faced not with one but three opponents.  
Fuki rushed forward in the gap left by Tsukimaru's attack – and Suien frowned.  
Genin the trio might be – even genin could win against a jounin with some team-work and a bit of luck.  
"Konoha scum!" he growled "Get them!"

¤.¤.¤

The other missing-nin, that had for now been torn between trying to get their hostages back and watching the fight stormed in – and the situation went from manageable to very dangerous.

**"**_**Suiton: Sandan no Jutsu!"**_  
From the water, a torrent of water bullets surged – knocking back most of the invaders, with only Suien himself able to dodge the unexpected attack.  
"Thank you." Shibuki told Naoki as he stepped in front of the tiring genin trio "I'll be taking over."  
The Uchiha smiled – seemed like the other had found his answer.

"What happened to him?" Tsukimaru wondered as they touched down on the bank "It's like his chakra has grown tremendously denser!"  
"That's the Hero Water!" a child answered before Naoki could "Because Shibuki-sama is a hero!"  
Fuki and Tsukimaru shared a clueless glance, and Naoki started to explain to them what had transpired within the sacred tree while they weren't there while they kept busy by tying up the unconscious missing-nin...

"And where's Yami-sensei?" the Inuzuka eventually wondered  
"She's visiting a friend." Kagetsu was the one to answer while opening an eye from the shade of the tree under which she'd rolled into a ball for a cat nap, surprising quite a few villagers "But I'm more than able to take care of you in her stead."  
"Of course, Kagetsu-sama, thank you." the wild girl nodded, being the only one among the trio to know just who exactly the fox was  
The fox closed her eyelid down and went back to her mindscape – where indeed there was not only Yagami herself but also a tan, mint-haired and orange eyed girl as loud as Naruto and Chomei – the Nanabi herself.

The young goddess had felt the girl's presence when inside the sacred tree and as such, had left to find her while tasking her nin-ken to keep an eye on the situation – Shibuki, too focused on the on-going fight, hadn't even noticed when she'd left a new _**kage**__**bunshin**_to watch the fight for educational purpose and started to climb higher in the three.  
About halfway up, she'd stumbled into another natural room, this one sealed from the outside. She'd fiddle with the seal but a few moments before disabling it and entering, meeting Fuu, the Nanabi's jinchuuriki for the first time.  
"Hi! Who are you? I'm Fuu! Is everything alright, I've been feeling quite a few spikes of chakra around my tree! Are you here to be my friend?" the girl greeted her enthusiastically "Lucky Seven is telling me she knows you so you can't be a bad guy!"

Yagami smiled, rather amused at the enthusiastic girl, and answered "I'm Yagami. Right now Takigakure is under attack, but things are under control, don't worry."  
"Of course, Shibuki-san wouldn't let anything happens to the villagers!" the other answered with an energetic nod "But how do you knows Chomei? I've never seen you before and you can't be older than me!"  
"Let's go visit Chomei and I'll answer you." Yagami answered with a smile, taking the girl's hand and dragging the both of them into their mindscape  
Fuu's mindscape was, without much surprise, rather similar to Takigakure in that there were numerous waterfalls around. There was also the remains of a broken seal, nearly buried under the large root of the sacred tree.

"Hime-chan!" a large beetle with six wings and a tail enthusiastically greeted the white-haired goddess "You came back!" then, eyeing the fox that had appeared too "And Kurama-nii-san... You feel different?"  
"That's because I'm not Kurama." the other answered "I'm Kagetsu."  
Yagami rolled her eyes – and proceeded to explain to the beetle how the nine-tails had been separated in two halves, how she'd fetched the half stuck into the Shinigami, and why they hadn't fused back together, eventually arriving on her reason for being there.

"I see you seal has broken."  
"It did, it really wasn't a very good work." the beetle nodded, iridescent eyes turning toward Fuu "But I couldn't let the little bug alone, could I?"  
"Bah. You're still as soppy as ever." Kagetsu mumbled without any real heat while Yagami worked her holy powers...

****[Hidden Event! What it means to be alive...****  
__The bijuu may have been born from Kaguya's powers, they are now their own beings__  
****Goal******:** give a physical body to the bijuu** (3/10)**  
****Reward******:** +40XP, +1PP, Chomei has unlocked ****Chaos Game 4.0****]

¤.¤.¤

"Bah! You think you can beat me just because you drank a bit of water?" Suien laughed madly _**"Suiton: suiryudan no jutsu!"**__  
_Shibuki barely dodge the giant water dragon rushing his way, starting to tire.  
"You know very well what wasting Hero Water on an unskilled brat like you does, right?"  
This time – he didn't dodge the water bullet, a bloody hole appearing in his shoulder under the terrified screams of the children that had been watching the fight.  
"You're a looser, and always will be!" the man laughed, his fist landing on the wound, making the chuunin's face distort with pain "I should know, I trained you!"

"Leave Shibuki-sama alone, you meany!"  
The children's earnest scream was echoed by the same affirmation – in a voice a bit older, and the jounin stumble back as glittery dust scattered around him, blinding him for a few seconds. Just enough time for a winged girl to land a heavy kick at the back of his head, sending him flying several meters away, before grabbing the weakening chuunin.  
"Bring him here!" Tsukimaru immediately called the unknown girl "I'm the team's medic!"

Fuu – because of course it was her – heard her and changed course, not even giving a second glance as the villagers took their children and moved back, leaving a gap between the jinchuuriki and them.  
"You've done your job, now get out of here!" one braver man called once Fuu had gently settle down Shibuki  
"What is wrong with you guys!" Fuki protested "She's just saved your leader and this is how you thank her!"  
"Bah! You don't know what you're talking about little girl, she's just a monster!"

"From my point of view, you are the monsters." Naoki contradicted rather coldly, even if contrarily to the red-head he hadn't guessed why they acted like that "Small minded, blinded by your fear, with not even an ounce of gratitude."  
"Don't worry," Fuu protested as the trio of genin was clearly growing annoyed at the villagers "I'm used to it!"  
"You shouldn't have to be!" Tsukimaru protested as she started to clear Shibuki's wound "It's just like the civilians act home with Naruto-kun!" she added with a frown "Afraid without even trying to understand what really is going on."  
"Tsuki-chan's right." Fuki nodded "They don't know a thing about sealing, but they don't try either." she eyed the villagers "Afraid because she's more dangerous... But does it matter how dangerous someone is?" a shrug "All shinobi are dangerous. Even your beloved Shibuki-sama could slaughter you all before you even realized it!"

"Shibuki-sama wouldn't do something like that!"  
"And did that girl ever do something like that?"  
"Well... no but she could!"  
"Really? Because it sure seams to me like you're the one who want to slaughter her." Fuki retorted, before turning her back to them, voice dripping with disdain "I don't know why I'm wasting my breath on you."  
Except of course – she knew.

She was trying to make them understand because she still felt bad about having acted just the same toward Naruto without even knowing why – simply because her parents had told her the boy was dangerous. She had never felt as ashamed as the day she stumbled on the chapter about jinchuuriki during her studies about fuuinjutsu – when suddenly, she had understood just why civilians acted like they did toward the boy born on the day of the nine-tails attack – when she had realized she had acted just as idiotic as the rest...  
She had tried since – to explain to her civilians friends, or her parents – even to Ami. But just like the villagers here they hadn't listened, hadn't wanted to understand.

Fuu felt warm at the impassioned defense – it didn't really matter that the villagers hadn't listened, nor understood. It was the first time that someone had even tried.  
She ignored the grumbling villagers, instead walking toward the girl, who had settled against a tree and was eyeing the fight that was still on-going on the water - stubbornly refusing to acknowledge the tears that weren't quite falling.  
"Thank you for trying."  
"It didn't work." a sigh "I don't know why I even tried, I couldn't convince my own parents that they were stupid, how could I convince strangers?"

"But you still tried." a smile "It's the first time someone tried to explain to them I wasn't my tenant." a shrug "Truth be told they are terrified of Chomei, but it's not like in Konoha where they have a reason to afraid..." a sigh "She never did anything but try to defend herself when people imprisoned her. If us human hadn't bothered her, she would still be hidden somewhere, never bothering us..."  
"You know," Fuki mused "Naruto said something like that too... That we were afraid of the bijuu, but that the one who attacked first were us humans."

People didn't realize – but since he mentored her in fuuinjutsu, Fuki had become good friend with the blond, especially after she had had a breakdown and spent hours apologizing for her attitude once she'd realized just who the boy was. Of course, Naruto being Naruto, he had forgiven her right away, and spent the afternoon comforting her...

¤.¤.¤

Yagami had been ready as soon as Fuu had jumped in the fight – and when a furious Suien had picked himself up from the heavy hit, and tried to jump at the girl's back, he'd been stopped by the white-haired girl.  
"You were so loud against Shibuki... Let's see what you're worth against a jounin." she commented idly, FuurinKiba loosely held in her right hand  
"A jounin? A little girl like you?" the man's mad smile widened "Well let's put it to the test!"  
"Gladly." Yagami answered

Suien may be a missing-nin – his skills as a jounin weren't a lie she realized as he came at her with the same water sword he'd used earlier. After a few hits exchanged, the man had understood that Yagami was more skilled than him with a blade, and had jumped back, calling _**"Suiton: Suidagan!"**_  
Multiple pressurized water bullet rushed out of the water, Yagami dodging all of them, if barely as they had come from multiple directions.  
Of course, Suien had known that the _**suiton**_ wouldn't be enough to win against Yagami – it had only been a mean to win the bit of time necessary for him to go through the lengthy hand-signs sequence _**"Suiton: Daibakufu no jutsu!"**_.

The large whirlwind of water rushed – not toward Yagami, but toward the island where the villagers, genin, and Shibuki were still.  
"If I can't have the Hero Water, then no one will have it!" he laughed "You will all die here!"  
Yagami glanced toward the island – then relaxed, as she realized that Fuu had rushed forward, and was going through the hand-signs Yagami had taught her only minutes before.  
Chakra surged, and Chomei appeared with a cloud of smoke, towering above everyone – her iridescent wings unfurling themselves in a large shield against which the gigantic wave of water crashed unsuccessfully...

"No!"  
Taking advantage of Suien's fury and disbelief, Yagami closed in on the missing-nin, knocking him out with one hit before dragging his unconscious body toward the banks.  
The villagers were stunned – split between terror and gratitude.  
Chomei disappeared back into the broken seal with a second cloud of smoke.  
"You... You saved us all..." the same man that had told Fuu to leave before whispered

"Well of course." Fuu smiled despite looking quite worn out – she had called quite a bit of Chomei's chakra out after all "I'm a shinobi of Takigakure too, that's my job!" her eyes widened as the man fell on his knee, tears in his eyes "Wow, wow, calm down mister, everything is alright, see, all the bad guys were caught, our home is safe!"  
The affirmation seemed to only make the situation worse, as the man was now crying, whispering again and again "Thank you."  
The green-haired girl, distressed, turned toward the trio of genin that was coming closer "What's happening, what do I do? He won't stop crying!"  
"You accept their gratitude." Fuki answered, before making the girl stumble on the ground with a well aimed hit in the back of her knees "And you get a bit of rest, you're bordering on chakra exhaustion."

Fuu settled down on the ground "Wow, you're right, I don't think I've ever been so exhausted!" she realized with wide eyes, making the genin laugh  
Naoki arrived a few steps behind his two team-mates as he was helping Shibuki walk, the man exhausted by his own fight. The villager's cheered as they saw the man up and moving – and the children slipped out of their parents loosened hold to swarm him once more.  
As for Shibuki himself – he was blushing under the attention, while giving his own thanks to the Konoha shinobi.

The villagers had been brought back to their homes – and the small patrol team that was supposed to keep the village safe had been found hidden in the crater's forest, most of them hurt, a couple having died from their wounds.  
A shinobi team had arrived back from mission in the middle of the post-battle chaos and helped with the clean up – and the genin trio had suddenly remembered that Takigakure was a Hidden Village too.  
It simply was so small that with a few teams out on mission, the village was all but empty of it's shinobi population, with only a small patrol left since they relied a lot on the fact no one was supposed to know how to enter their home.

¤.¤.¤

They had left Takigakure the next day – with an agreement for Shibuki to sent half of the bounties value to Konoha once his own shinobi took care of cashing them in with the appropriate parties, and a fourth genin in tow.  
Truth be told – Shibuki had been rather thankful – with how the situation had happened, Yagami would have been in her own right if she'd asked for an A-rank mission reward and the full bounties on top of the escort mission they already had done. As it was, she simply agreed to an upgrade from a C-rank to an A-rank for the escort mission hey had accepted, and half of the bounties.

Shibuki had been the one to ask her to take Fuu with them.  
Apparently, he hadn't been quite unconscious when Tsukimaru was healing him, and had heard the trio's heated defense of the girl.  
"As thankful as they are toward her for saving them... I don't think the villagers are quite ready to cohabit with her." he'd admitted with a sigh "And living alone, shut in and only allowed to go out for training and under escort, it's not a life..."  
The chuunin had really tried to make life easier for the young girl over the years – but fear wasn't something easy to overcome, he knew it well enough. He was happy to see the girl having finally earned a bit of respect from his village, but it was too little, too late.

"She'll be better off in Konoha."  
It had been rather easy for him to come to the conclusion – for one, her status as jinchuuriki would have no reason to be well-known there, and even if it was... He'd heard the whispers around the other Hidden Village.  
They may be still afraid – they were changing too, and faster than his own small village.

Besides, jinchuuriki were valued as powerful weapon in the Great Village – but the Nanabi had never been used in such a way by Takigakure, the people too afraid of the destructive potential and instead keeping their jinchuuriki as good as jailed. Losing the jinchuuriki wouldn't change anything for their village, be it in their daily life, or in more dangerous situations...  
The current attack had been a good example – as if Yagami hadn't been there to free Fuu, she wouldn't had been able to save them.

Fuu had been torn – even if she had no particular bond to it, Takigakure was her village, the place where's she'd been born, and the only place she'd ever known and she did love Shibuki like a father or a big brother, as he had always taken good care of her; on the other side, the idea of being able to leave and travel was something she had dreamed for all her life...

She hadn't been the only one surprised - when the whole village had come to see not only the Konoha shinobi off, but her too.  
"We won't say we're not afraid, it would be a lie..." the same village that had had a break-down had admitted "But we realize now that it's just like the boy said, all shinobi are dangerous, and we know that. We should have been able to accept you like the others..." a small smile "Even if you leave Taki and take the hitai-ate of Konoha, you'll always have a place to stay behind our waterfalls!" a smile at the other shinobi "All of you."

****[Secondary Quest! What makes a Hero...****  
__Takigakure needs its leader back home, and there is peril ahead__  
****Goal complete:**** help Shibuki finds his reason to fight  
****Goal complete:****stop the missing-nin  
****Goal complete: ****protect the Hero Water  
****Goal complete: ****stop Suien  
****Goal complete:****rescue the villagers  
****Hidden Goal complete:**** Fuu saved the villagers  
****Hidden Goal complete:**** Fuu has been freed  
****Reward******:** +5*5XP per goal, +2PP  
****Hidden reward:**** +2*10XP, +1 soul-bound token]

Tsunade sighed as she listened to the mission report – Hiruzen had warned her to always be ready activate the secrecy seal when some shinobi, Yagami at the top of the list, came back from mission...  
She still hadn't expected a simple C-rank escort mission to degenerate in such a spectacular way.

A few feet away from her, the old Sandaime was laughing at her pinched face, while amicably talking with Fuu, going through the necessary paperwork, and giving the girl her new hitai-ate. Like all shinobi transferred from an allied village – even if it hadn't happened in a long time since those were more common in the days of Uzushio - she had the possibility to keep her old hitai-ate displayed too, something she choose to do as a tribute to Shibuki, and the villagers that had finally somewhat accepted her.  
Despite her abilities that were clearly high chuunin level, Fuu was also still a genin, never having been presented to any Chuunin Exam, so they also had to assign he to a jounin-sensei – and it couldn't be Yagami, since the goddess already had three students.

"What about Inari-chan?" she mused as the two hokage were bickering about who to chose – Naruto had been suggested and rejected "He already intends to be a lot out of the village so it will keep Fuu's whereabouts vague enough if the Akatsuki realizes she's with us." a shrug "He could even report with Jiraya from time to time to keep more out of the village."

Of course – Yagami had warned Shibuki about the Akatsuki, the missing-nin organization that apparently was after the jinchuuriki's tenant, something she'd been authorized to do from the start by the godaime in order for the small village to be ready to protect themselves.  
She'd advised the village leader to put some of the money he'd cash in with the bounty to commission one of Konoha's seal-masters to help to protect their home, something he'd agreed to, leaving her with a formal request she had already handed to the two hokage.  
"Alright then." Tsunade nodded

Inari was soon called in, and easily agreed to an apprenticeship, with the option to take on one more genin to complete his team when the next generation graduated – as he was already mentoring Karin thanks to the same Clan Protection Act Kakashi had used to mentor Yagami a few years ago.  
With that, the Inuzuka clan had gained a new resident, confirming once more that Inoichi had been right a few months ago – the compound was starting to be a bit crowded...

* * *

**[******Yagami****/ Age 8(14) / Level 99  
****Physical Main Stat 128(216):****Strength 36(66) / Agility 71(118) / Endurance 21(32)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 155(230):****Intelligence 62(95) / Will 37(51) / Wisdom 56(84)  
****Social Main Stat 112(192): ****Presence 21(32) / Perception 52(87) / Luck 39(73)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 340(560) / HP regen/min 3,44(6,37) / Chakra Points 738 / CP regen/min 8,29  
Damage 46,5(89,8) / Defense 25,5(46,9) / Reaction Speed 56(92,2)  
Chakra control 43,4(65) / Chakra Density 42,7(67) / Mind Speed 60,2(91,7)  
Critic Chance 22,6(56,6) / Critic Damage Multiplier 18,1(65,5), Loot Bonus 38(67,6)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 12 / Level 75  
****Physical Main Stat 95(149):****Strength 43(60) / Agility 34(44) / Endurance 18 (45)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 90(143): ****Intelligence 36(39) / Will 29(70) / Wisdom 25(34)  
****Social Main Stat 67(110):****Presence 18(20) / Perception 21(33) / Luck 28(57)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 262(478) / HP regen/min 2,65(4,84) / Chakra Point 798 / CP regen/min 7,98  
Damage 40,3(57,1) / Defense 25,5(49,5) / Reaction Speed 29,2(44,3)  
Chakra control 25,2(36,4) / Chakra Density 27,8(59,2) / Mind Speed 32,7(37,5)  
Critic Chance 5,29(12) / Critic Damage Multiplier 11,3(32,6), Loot Bonus 24,6(44,8)]

****[Tsukimaru****/ Age 12 / Level 58  
****Physical Main Stat 78(90):****Strength 26(32) / Agility 34(40) / Endurance 18(18)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 98(106): ****Intelligence 45(50) / Will 26(26) / Wisdom 27(30)  
****Social Main Stat 52(71):****Presence 14(14) / Perception 21(34) / Luck 17(23)]

**[******Naoki****/ Age 12 / Level 58  
****Physical Main Stat 82(101):****Strength 28(34) / Agility 39(52) / Endurance 15(15)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 92(103):****Intelligence 42(50) / Will 21(21) / Wisdom 29(32)  
****Social Main Stat 56(62): ****Presence 16(16) / Perception 26(32) / Luck 14(14)]

**[******Fuki****/ Age 12 / Level 58  
****Physical Main Stat 83(103): ****Strength 34(44) / Agility 33(38) / Endurance 16(19)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 92(98): ****Intelligence 31(31) / Will 36(42) / Wisdom 25(25)  
****Social Main Stat 53(56): ****Presence 12(12) / Perception 23(26) / Luck 18(18)]

**Regular Team breakout:**

****Team 6:****sensei Sarutobi Asuma, Isao(chuunin), Ino and Shino  
****Team 10:****sensei Yuuhi Kurenai,Tenten, Chouji and Hinata(chuunin)  
****Team 12:****sensei Hatake Yagami, Naoki, Tsukimaru, Fuki

****Team Hatake:****leader Hatake Kakashi, Inari, Naruto and Sasuke  
****Team Nara:**** leader Nara Ren, Ayame, Kiba and Sakura  
****Team Might:**** leader Might Guy, Neji, Lee and Shikamaru


	11. X Moon and Ice

****Hi!**** I'm back again, sorry for the wait...  
The story isn't easy to write, as it is massively AU, but I do enjoy writing it - and I hope you enjoy reading it.

* * *

****X. Moon and Ice****

"Has something happened, Hinata-sama? Your whole team seems unusually down." Neji asked as the multiple shinobi usual from the weekend usual gatherings in the Inuzuka Compound were taking a break  
"Neji-san's right," Kiba mused "I managed to land twice as many hits as usual in our spar!"  
"It's..." Tenten frowned, confusion and anger warring as she spoke before the white-eyed girl "Kurenai-sensei abandoned us!"  
"What?! What do you mean?"  
"Just that!" the girl answered heatedly "She just gathered us at the end of the usual training yesterday evening and told us not to bother showering up Monday morning because she's resigned as our sensei! Without any explanation!"

"Well, if Kurenai-sensei doesn't want to answer..." Kiba mused "Then we just have to ask higher!"  
"How? We can't just barge on the hokage like that to demand answers." Chouji pointed out, looking hopeful nevertheless  
"Us, no." Sakura agreed "But Ren-sensei could!"  
That stopped the three students protests to a stop – it was well-known that the Nara spent quite a bit of time in the hokage's office, and had been one of his unofficial advisor for years. They didn't know yet how it would be with the new Godaime – but all the shinobi knew that the Sandaime was still helping out their new leader...

Having heard his name, the jounin frowned, just as surprised as his students about Kurenai's strange actions, and easily agreed to investigate a bit.  
As such, he found himself within the familiar office a while later.  
"She tried to cut her ties completely, eh." the old hokage mused with a frown "Does she expects to die to fulfill her mission?" he wondered worriedly  
"Is it something you can tell me about?"  
"While all of it isn't classified, it's more Kurenai-san's story to tell." the hokage pointed out – before Sakura barged in urgently, messenger bird in hands "A priority message, hokage-sama!"

Tsunade took it – and frowned "It's from Satomi Hill's manor. They're under attack."  
"That's no good," the Sandaime frowned "I believe Kurenai-san intended to head there this morning."  
"Jounin Nara, your task is to rescue the manor's resident, Kurama Yakumo. She lives there with a protective team consisting of two medic-in and one Anbu on a rotation." she explained "And Jounin Yuuhi is potentially there too."

****[Secondary Quest! The Hidden Darkness...****  
__The Kurama Clan hides something__  
****Reward******:** +5XP per goal, +1 Skill Book upon completion]

"The enemy?" Ren asked, eyeing the new quest at the same time  
"Konoha shinobi. Suspected to be from the Kurama Clan."  
"Then... Isn't Clan Law at play?"  
"It's not. Despite being a civilian, Yakumo-san has never formally left her apprenticeship under Kurenai-san." the sandaime was the one to answer

Ren nodded, realizing that it meant that the clan and the village were at odds regarding that girl – and importantly at odds at that, as it wasn't everyday they used those loopholes. Clan Laws were important, and while they could be outmaneuvered from time to time, it was better to avoid it as much as possible, less the clan felt too oppressed by the village and decide to leave it.  
"Be advised that all Kurama Clan members are skilled in _**genjutsu**__,_ even if few nowadays are well-rounded enough to become more than genin, and take your pick of the shinobi in town for a rescue mission."

¤.¤.¤

Ren had dropped by the compound, Sakura in tow since she had already been in the tower – and had a rather natural protection against mental attack which he hoped would help against the _**genjutsu**_ specialist. He grabbed Ino, whose mental shields should help too against a _**genjutsu**_ user and finally a rather surprised Iruka – he did know rather well the chuunin abilities after all, given that he was seen more and more often in the Inuzuka Compound...  
Something that may be linked to Hana's insistence on dragging him for meals in the Inuzuka Prime Alpha house – the girl loudly proclaiming that nobody should eat alone.  
Ren didn't disagree with the affirmation – but like everyone he knew that it was only a pretext on the girl's side. And well – Iruka's protests had been dwindling down with each meal, so the young jounin may well have been right in her conviction that her way to the chuunin's heart would be through his stomach...

"So," Iruka mused as the jounin updated his team on their mission "Do we know why the clan wants to get Yakumo-san back now?"  
Ren sighed.  
As pressing as the mission was, the sandaime still had taken the time to explain the situation to him, thinking it might be needed in the battle to come.

**_**(flashback start)**_**  
"The Kurama Clan has been dwindling down in the latest decades. They've produced less and less jounin, and nowadays they struggle to even make chuunin out of their clan members." the old man had explained "So when Yakumo was born from two jounin parents with the strongest ability seen in decades, they all hoped that she would honor her clan by following her parent's steps."  
Tsunade sighed "She didn't even manage to enter the Academy."  
"What? But how?"

"The Kurama have been affected by a debilitating illness, and poor Yakumo didn't escape this, contrarily to her parents." the Godaime explained "I've examined a few of them over the years, but without success..."  
"Still, on the clan's insistence, her parent's came to me to arrange for some private tutoring, in the hope that it could help. Yakumo is the clan's heiress, and a future clan head of a shinobi clan not even able to qualify as a shinobi was unthinkable for them."

That affirmation wasn't too surprising, as harsh as it was for the girl – truth be told, Ren doubted that any of the shinobi clan would accept a non shinobi as their clan head.  
"I chose Kurenai for the role, and she accepted." Hiruzen continued "She quickly became very close to Yakumo... But then... Yakumo's parents died in the Main House's burning, and after that, Kurenai was left with a hard choice." a sigh "She ended up sealing off Yakumo's abilities, thus putting an end to her dreams of becoming a kunoichi."  
**_**(flashback end)**_**

The two chuunin and the genin shared a frown at the explanation – Ino asking "But why?" a frown "What could be bad enough that she had to seal her abilities off?" she wondered – after all this wasn't the kind of things done lightly, and had probably been very painful for the girl  
"That's... Something Kurenai-san doesn't wish to share." Ren answered "Of course, the Sandaime knows, but he doesn't think it's relevant for our mission."  
"I guess." the blond mumbled "Still... That must have been horrible to have to do something like that."

"Is it because of this that Kurenai-sensei left Team 10?"  
"From what I've understood, probably." Ren nodded "She feels she hasn't performed that mission like she should have, and doesn't feel able to take care of any students anymore because of that."  
"That's stupid." Ino complained "Even if we don't know what precisely happened with Yakumo-san, Kurenai-sensei always was a good teacher for Chouji, Hinata and Tenten, they love her!"

Nobody answered – as they were arriving nearby the top of Satomi Hill, and a man was spread on the floor, eyes unfocused.  
"He's caught in a _**genjutsu**__."_ Iruka was the one to note "Kurenai-san must have already been by."  
The four shinobi crept over the mansion slowly – but the coast was clear, and the soon arrived in a room filled with numerous unsettling painting, two shinobi caught into another _**genjutsu**__,_ and Kurenai and Yakumo.  
That was when things took a turn for the stranger.

Ren was the only one to feel the subtle flare of chakra – and the next moment, all were caught in a new _**genjutsu**__._  
Only this time, the man realized – what was happening was very different, and reminiscent of something else.  
What Yukumo held was an ability with illusion so strong it was similar to the strongest Mist users he'd known – what _**genjutsu**_ the girl weaved, would affect the human brain so strongly people could actually be hurt by her illusions.  
"You're still there." the girl realized, rather surprised  
He could see a flash of something darker in her eyes.

"I am. Tell me, what are you hopping to achieve here exactly?"  
"I want revenge! I want the truth to be revealed!"  
"And what truth do you think you'll learn?"  
"I already know the truth! I know that the Sandaime was the one to order my parents killed, and now that I've got my powers back, I'll be the next! That's why Kurenai is there! To fulfill her orders!"  
Seeing that her previous _**genjutsu**_ hadn't ensnared the man, she released it, the other shinobi looking around them stunned.  
The next one was very different.

"True illusion." Ren mused as he eyed the room that now looked like a lone rock in the middle of a galaxy of wavering powers  
Large, dark hands spread toward them – quickly catching Ino, Sakura and Iruka, as they realized that jutsu didn't work anymore in the area. Once more, the rules didn't seem to apply to Ren, as the man stopped the large hands with a simple trench knife – a knife coated in flames, that didn't emit any chakra.  
Of course – nobody there could recognize the weapon as the Star Blade, a fire enhanced knife that had been half of his coming of age weapon a lifetime ago. The Star Blade did use some of his chakra – but since he didn't have to consciously give said chakra, it wasn't affected by whatever rule Yakumo had imposed on the area thanks to her illusions.

"Stop interfering! I'm not interested in you!" the girl protested heatedly, getting angrier by the moment  
"Please Ren-san, listen to her." Kurenai pleaded, not having even tried to move from the place where Yakumo had immobilized her  
"Why do you sacrifice yourself for such a brat?" Ino protested heatedly "Because she can't be a shinobi she should just have the right to kill anyone she wants! That's bullshit!"  
"What would you know, it's not as if you can understand!"

"It's alright." Kurenai sighed "If killing me fulfill her need for revenge, then I'll die gladly."  
"And what about Team 10?" Sakura protested "Do you care about them so little that you'd just abandon them like that?"  
"They never really needed me." the red-eyed jounin sighed "'I'm not the one who managed to nurture them and make them grow as they have, it's all thanks to the Inuzuka clan and all of you."  
"That's not true!"  
All turned, surprised to see that said Team 10 had arrived, an old shinobi wearing the Kurama Clan emblem on his clothes, taking advantage of the turmoil in Yakumo's heart and mind to break into the illusion.

"What are you doing here?" Kurenai asked, stunned to see the trio there "You shouldn't be there!"  
"Then you shouldn't have left!" Tenten protested "You're our jounin-sensei!"  
"We need you." Chouji confirmed, calmer but just as certain  
"It's not because we train with others that we won't miss you." Hinata completed "Even when we've all been promoted, you'll always be our jounin-sensei!"

¤.¤.¤

"Besides, the old man told us the truth!" Tenten added, pointing at the Kurama shinobi that was with them – who only rolled his eyes at the irreverence "The reason why Kurenai-sensei choose to seal Yakumo-san's powers and what really happened to her parents!"  
"No don't!" Kurenai protested, now looking panicked  
"Say it!" the girl protested on the contrary  
"The Sandaime never ordered anything against her parents..."  
"You lie!"  
"I don't! It was Yakumo-san the problem! She was the one that was dangerous!"

The girl seemed to freeze at the affirmation, and it was the old shinobi that explained with a sigh "Yakumo-san was born with the strongest bloodline seen in decades in the clan." he stated "And like most born with such a strong gift, the down-side soon started to appear. There is a reason why our clan is dying, and it's not only because of our illness... But because we've had to put down all our strongest bloodline user ourselves."  
The affirmation stunned all into silence, even Kurenai, who was now silently crying  
"Like all before her, Yakumo-san was plagued by nightmares from a young age, and the worst the nightmare, the worst the consequences, as in her subconscious the dark emotions started to pile up, becoming something... terrifying."

"You mean, like some sort of split personality?" Ino wondered  
"Something like that, but more dangerous because it could delve into the real world."  
"Unkai-san, don't!" Kurenai protested once more  
"She has to know." Hinata contradicted gently her sensei "I understand that you're trying to protect her but... It won't end with you death, not with her powers, not if she doesn't know the truth."  
"Eventually, it became clear that Yakumo-san had no control over her powers, incidents occurring left and right... A child that had mocked her tripped on a root that hadn't been there before and dropped down a set of stairs, ending his future as a shinobi, a merchant that had talked ill of her parents woke up one day to find his stores flooded and was ruined..." Unkai listed "So her parents and Kurenai assembled to try and convince her to quit."

The old man's face darkened "That night, a fire ravaged the Clan House, and neither Murakumo-san nor Uroko-san could get out of the house..."  
Sakura and Ino shared a stunned look, understanding easily what the man meant – Iruka and Ren eyed Kurenai, whose defeated demeanor was all the confirmation they needed.  
"After that, the clan was ready to do it's duty..." Unkai sighed "But Kurenai and Sandaime-sama disagreed, and instead tried to seal her powers. For a few years, we hoped that it had worked..." a shrug "We don't enjoy killing our clan-mates!" he pointed out with a bit more vigor "But since the invasion, we've seen the signs..."

"That fire at the hokage tower. Unexpected change in weather." Chouji listed  
"And we knew we had to act."  
Yakumo was shivering, eyes on the easel where her latest painting – Kurenai herself – was waiting for her brushes.  
"So... I'm the one who killed my parents." she realized in a low voice "And you took the blame to protect me." she eyed Kurenai "Thank you." a small smile "But you should go back to you students, it's too late for me."  
Under everyone's stunned eyes, she took the painting knife she'd been using, turning it against herself in a swift move.

Only to be stopped by a hand that suddenly emerged of her latest canvas – soon a whole new body climbing out of it.  
It was Yakumo – but it wasn't – with twin pools of inky darkness in lieu of her own light green eyes, hair long and wilder, kept away from her face by an oni mask tied to the side of her face.  
"How dare you try and kill me, girl!" the voice was cold and furious "You are nothing without me!"

"You..." Yakumo stumbled back, both furious and terrified "It's your fault! You killed my parents!"  
"I only did what you wanted! What you were too weak to do!" the other retorted "They were holding us back, so I took care of them!"  
"You lie..." the girl protested weakly, mind clearly overpowered by her dark counterpart "I never wanted..."  
"Listen to me, Yakumo!" Kurenai shouted "You can beat this darkness! Only you can!"  
"But... she's... so much more powerful..."

"She's not more powerful." Ren was the one to correct her "She's but an illusion born from your fear and anger." he pointed out "We all have those inside of us, it's just that they are more dangerous for a powerful illusion weaver like you."  
"But she's only a part of you!" Ino was the one to forge on, countless hours of lessons about the human mind coming forward "You have the power to reject her and all that she represents. She has no right to your powers, you are the one in charge!"  
"But I failed..." Yakumo protested as Chouji was the one to charge the terrifying version of herself to protect her "I'm too weak to control her."

"You've failed only once the fight is over." Sakura contradicted "And Kurenai-sensei knew you could win, this is why she refused to let your clan kill you."  
"You wanted to be a kunoichi." Hinata encouraged her "Then be one! Shinobi are the one who endures but don't break!"  
"Defeat her, and you'll be the one in control. You'll have mastered your powers." Kurenai smiled "Defeat her, and you'll be able to achieve your dream."  
Yakumo nodded, adjusting her grip on the painting knife in her hand – and this time, when the terrifying vision jumped toward Chouji, she stepped in, weapon in hand and resolve clear.

The apparition stumbled, blade deep in it's heart – and the illusionary world around them crumbled, freeing all and revealing that they still were in Yakumo's painting workshop.  
Yakumo's aura far different from mere moments before.  
"You've managed it..." Unkai realized, eyes wide with wonder "You've managed it." he repeated, tears in his eyes, falling on his knees "We won't have to kill our clan's future..."  
Yakumo collapsed in Kurenai's arms "All this time, I though you hated me..." she whispered "Yet you were protecting me!"

"Well," Ren mused "all that's left is reporting to the hokage..." a smile "And see about a graduation exam, maybe."  
"Wait!" Yakumo eyed the man "I must know... Why didn't my _**genjutsu**_ work on you?"  
The god winked "That's a secret!"  
With that, they were all heading toward the Hokage Tower.  
"So... Must I take the sake out now or later?" Tsunade wondered as she eyed the large group

¤.¤.¤

"Well sake is always good for celebrations." a new voice commented, laughed in her voice "Team 12 reporting from another successful C-rank!" she dropped a scroll on the large desk "And this time I'm not the one inducing head-aches!"  
The Senju rolled her eyes, and Yakumo laughed weakly. The white-haired, that had been kept up to date by her husband, eyed the girl as Tsunade, listening to Ren's report mused "Well as long as her abilities are confirmed to be under control, I see no reason not to let her try for graduation with the next class." she shrugged "Of course, we'll have to find a jounin-sensei up to date with her physical limitations, but that's in the future..."

****[Secondary Quest! The Hidden Darkness...****  
__The Kurama Clan hides something__  
****Goal complete:**** save Kurenai  
****Bonus Goal complete: ****learn the truth about the Kurama Clan powers  
****Bonus Goal complete: ****save Yakumo  
****Hidden Goal Complete:****Yakumo vanquished her dark alter-ego  
****Goal complete:**** convince Kurenai to come back to Team 10  
****Hidden Goal Complete:****Yakumo can now accomplish her dream  
****Reward******:** +2*5XP per goal, +1 Skill Book  
****Bonus Goal:**** +2*10XP, +1PP  
****Hidden Goal: ****+2*10XP, +1 C-rank jutsu scroll]

"Actually..." the youngest Hatake mused "What about the free spot on Inari-chan's team?"  
The Godaime eyed the girl "A particular reason for that?"  
A shrug "Eh, the faster she's a kunoichi, the faster I can get my paperwork to her."  
"Wait..." the Senju sighed "Actually it does explain a lot doesn't it?"  
"What do you mean?" the Sandaime mused

"Well, as horrible as her trials in Orochimaru's care were, it always felt rather strange that the aftermath was so bad." Ren was the one to explain "Given our previous lives, the __bambina__ has already lived through some pretty bad things. But if her negative emotions were magnified and empowered by a latent ability..."  
Yakumo eyed the girl, head tilted on a side curiosity clear in her eyes.  
"I'm one of Orochimaru's rescued experiment." she explained to the girl "But because he did quite a bit on me, I didn't declare all my bloodline from the get go..." a shrug "I've been meaning to talk to the Kurama Clan lately, but between those weeks in a coma, the invasion, and the rush of missions after..." a smile "To be honest I don't specialize in _**genjutsu**_, so it slipped my mind..."

Yakumo found herself rather amused by the other girl "I'm not Clan Head just yet, that would be my uncle." she pointed out, indicating Unkai  
"Actually I'm only Acting Head." the other contradicted her "You will be able to take the mantle if you become a kunoichi."  
"What? But, I don't know anything about leading the clan!"  
"You'll learn." he reassured her with a smile "I'm not dropping all the responsibilities on you all at once."  
A few moments later, they were all headed back toward the Inuzuka Compound, Yakumo in tow to meet with her potential jounin-sensei with her uncle following along.

While Inari was making the girl demonstrate what she could do, Yagami was eyeing them from afar.  
"What are you thinking about?" Ren asked  
"Yakumo and Lee." she answered "I'm wondering if we can do anything for them."  
"I've wondered about it too." the Nara nodded, understanding easily what she meant "Alone I doubt we could do anything about it, but between the two of us maybe we could change things."

A wink "It's not really something we're meant to do but well... We're still but children when it comes to the deities!"  
"Indeed."  
Later that evening, the new genin and green chuunin were gathered by the couple, both sharing an intrigued glance.  
"Wait... You're saying you could... Heal me?"  
A nod.

Lee lowered his head. Had it been anyone else, he would have thought it a scam – but even if contrarily to the pack he didn't know exactly just what the white-head was, he did know something.  
Yagami and Ren wouldn't be saying something like that if they didn't truly believe they could help.  
"I've made a strength of my weakness." he mused "And I've no intention of changing the fact that I'm a taijutsu specialist..." a smile "But I'm a chuunin of Konoha, and I'll take any advantage to help my home! I'll do it, Yami-chan!"  
"Me too." Yakumo smiled, eyeing the green-clad boy with a clear hint of admiration in her eyes "I've only started my career, and I'm not as strong as Lee. I may love _**genjutsu**__..._ I don't want to be a burden to my team-mates." a smile "I want to be able to run as fast, or as long. So yes, Yagami-san... Please help me!"

Between the two of them, Ren and Yagami had indeed healed the duo.  
Ren's power of Life acting as the main component, the powerful healing properties of Sun Flames empowered by his godly powers, Yagami's own gift with Souls anchoring their new state of being more than skin-deep – ensuring their handicap was not only definitely healed for themselves, but also wouldn't be passed on anymore.  
They'd joined back the people assembled in the dinning room – and like often, the simple evening dinner degenerated into a full blow party. Even Unkai, the Acting Head reputed to be always so serious, was seen loosening up, a cup of sake in hand and toasting with Tsume, seemingly years younger now that hope had been reborn in his old eyes...

¤.¤.¤

"So..." Yagami mused, looking around  
It had been a few days since Yakumo's rescue – and for the first time, she'd been convoked by the Clan Council – a council of all shinobi Clan Heads, that she could have easily attended before, given that her own father was a Clan Head too, but had avoided until now, just like the gray-haired jounin.  
If there was one thing Kakashi and Yagami agreed wholly on, it was that politics were boring - and while the young goddess hadn't been able to avoid those as the daughter of the influent Lord of the West in her previous life, in this life she was only the daughter of a nearly extinct clan that had never been very influent in the Hidden Village politics... As such, taking part in the great game of politic wasn't essential anymore, and she was clearly taking advantage of it!

Yakumo was present with her uncle, having started, just like promised, to learn what she would need to eventually take over from the old shinobi.  
Most of the heir and heiress were present too as it wasn't an emergency council, not to mention the young Clan Head of the small Clan that had been added to the village thanks to the rescues from Orochimaru – the Yuki and Hoseki but also the Uzumaki, since Inari had taken over his role as Clan Head, with Naruto being for now his designated heir.  
"There have been ongoing talk about you among the Clan Heads for quite a while." Hiruzen was the one to start

"You, Yagami-san, are the undisputed leader of all the children rescued from Orochimaru." Shikaku explained  
"All those children have found a place among our clan." Shibi Aburame added with a hint of warmth in his usually neutral voice  
"But while they've found a family with us...Their first family will always be you." Inojin added with a smile – as the head of the Yamanaka clan he was among the first to have realize this immutable fact  
"We've been wondering about it, and in the end, the easier way to deal with it is to treat this just like we do when there are weddings between clans." Chouza explained

Yagami tilted her head – she knew that arrangement were done between clans for weddings, even if she didn't knew much about those.  
"In other words, you'll be recognized as a Clan Head in your own right, with those rescues from Orochimaru transferred from their clan authority to your all." Hiruzen summed up "While the next generation will be sent back to their respective bloodlines as needed."  
"Of course all the children won't be forced back to the clan, but if they want the training for their bloodlines, they'll have to go, like all other children from wedding between clan."

"Given that children with multiple bloodlines are seldomly born, those case will be dealt with individually as needed." Hiashi completed – he wasn't as affected as most of the other clan since, just like Mikoto for the Uchiha, they didn't have a child in their care from Orochimaru's labs, but all Clan Heads had been consulted of course  
"Tsume hasn't quite gone in depths about the how and why, but she says she's got your Clan's land ready." Mikoto pointed out, looking fairly intrigued "But she is right..." she completed with even more curiosity in her eyes "There is something in the Founding Texts about a House of Moon Territories held in absentia by the Inuzuka since they agreed to let the Uchiha and Senju use the current lands for Konoha." she eyed the green moon on her brow "And you do bear the mark of that clan."

Yagami turned toward the Inuzuka Prime Alpha, who was smiling wildly.  
"Don't tell me..."  
Tsume's smile was showing glinting fangs "It's a bit far from the village itself, but I know you've got something ready for this."  
The white-haired rolled her eyes, half-wondering how the kunoichi knew she had completed her latest project but not that surprised as she didn't hide her notes when working in the den.  
"You don't have to answer... But how could something from the founding have been held for you?" Inojin finally asked, not able to contain his curiosity anymore

"Well..." Yagami mused – while there was no need to advertise more than it already was her more holy origins, a half-truth she'd already used multiple times would suffice here "Let's say reincarnation is real, and contrary to most people I don't loose all my memories between lifes."  
"That... Actually that makes quite a bit of sense." the blond mused, nodding in thanks for the answer  
"Does that mean I can actually call you mother again?" Inari asked with a wink, enjoying the chaos his affirmation was causing  
"Inari-sama kit, you can't help it, can you?" she sighed  
"Well you are the one who gave me the name of the fox goddess of mischief and harvest from the old legends." the red-head pointed out

A few hours and much chaos later, Tsume was the one leading the trio of deities at the top of the hokage monument, and even deeper into the wild forest at the top of the large cliff – soon they were ascending once more, this time on the lonely hill that was a bit behind the large cliff.  
There wasn't a lot of passage in the area, that much was clear as the well-walked road leading to the cliff had been replaced by a nearly invisible trail – then new signs appeared, far more older, and more familiar to Yagami, and even Inari...  
"This torii..." the red-head was the first to voice  
"It's home." Kagetsu was the one to confirm as a new notification flashed in their view

[You've entered ****Moon**** ****Sanctuary****

while inside the area, all beings meeting the correct criteria benefit from:  
\- +25% learning to all Yin Abilities  
\- +25% to all energy regeneration rates  
****The criteria is:****all descendants of Taishou Tsukiko or all holy servants affiliated to Death or Chaos or all sentient beings under the protection of Shadow  
_note that __those __not meeting the criteria will feel the need to leave the area unless given access by the Sanctuary's creator or head priest(ess)]_

[You've earned the title ****"Moon Sanctuary Creator"****__(+2 Perception, +1 Luck, +1 Wisdom, unlocks +10% on all effects of the Sanctuary)__  
You can now assign freely the position of ****"Head priest(ess) of the Moon Sanctuary"**** __(+2 Perception, +1 Luck, +1 Wisdom, +5% on all effects of the Sanctuary)__"]

Indeed – passing under one old looking torii, the air had now changed, heavy with familiar power and the young goddess had spontaneously let her illusion fall, six tails waving in her back.  
A wooden house in a very traditional style had appeared, clearly having been empty for a long time, yet not looking decrepit in the least – something that could probably be explained by the concentration of nature chakra around, and even within the very wood of the house.  
"Well... It needs a bit of cleaning, but otherwise..." a smile "It's home, and it hasn't changed."  
"Do you mean that... this house has been standing there for a thousand years?" Naruto asked, eyes wide "How is that even possible?"  
"Well," Inari shrugged "Father was the one to grow this house after all."

In the following days and weeks, the age-old and now official Compound of the House of Moon was a beehive of activity, everyone pitching in to help making the house that had been empty for a thousand year in a new home for the reborn clan.  
Taking advantage of the natural boost on her abilities the place gave her, Yagami had been the one to remodel the house, the wooden walls still brimming with chakra answering immediately to her powers – the den widening, several other rooms growing into existence. Like Inari had said – the house hadn't been built but grown, which meant it was alive, and explained why it hadn't decayed with time.  
More importantly – she'd taken Naruto and Inari with her to work on the project Tsume had evoked.

The old torii had been renovated, and at the top a gem had been added, a complex fuiin inscribed within it – it's twin had been added at the entrance of the Inuzuka Compound.  
"So... how does it works?" a fascinated Fuki asked, quickly realizing that the seal-work was far beyond her level, but still interested  
"The seals are nearly identical, with only a symbol to differentiate them." Inari pointed at the torii of the Inuzuka Clan, and indeed at the heart of the glowing gem the Clan Symbol was recognizable "To use those seal you have to have a key that will permit them to be activated." Naruto added, pointing at a pendant on his neck

Said pendant was a tear shaped gem, glinting symbols barely noticeable inside – the famous key to the seals, that Yagami and Inari were also wearing, having yet to distribute them to everyone given that they had decided to blood-bound each key to avoid unwanted visitors.  
"To use the torii, you have to send chakra to the key and when you walk through and think about the correct exit symbol, you'll be sent to the corresponding torii." Yagami completed  
"So space-time fuuinjutsu, just like the hiraishin!" Yagami's genin realized, eyes wide

"Similar." Naruto nodded – he'd spent quite some time reading on the goddess' work, helping him work out the notes Jiraya had left him from his parents "Even if with this method the destination are fixed while a hiraishin user can go wherever a seal is present." a shrug "On the other hand, any one can use the torii as long as they've got a key, while using the hiraishin needed complete understanding of the formula."  
The Moon Compound had soon been inhabited, all Orochimaru's rescues, Tenzo and Anko included, having all soon been adopted under Clan Law.

Of course, it didn't mean they'd left their original clan behind – all could come and go between their former and new clan, not leaving their other family behind, the only change being that they could now live together, and the Clan Head they answered to was now Yagami.  
The Uzumaki had followed, without much surprise, Fuu in tow – and soon, Sakura, Kiba and Sasuke were, just like Yagami, Kakashi and Ren, alternating between the Inuzuka den and the Moon one.  
The weekends session were still held in the Inuzuka Compound, letting everyone meet together – and of course most people had also dropped by the Moon Compound to visit it, never staying for too long because of the Sanctuary's effect.

¤.¤.¤

"Yo."  
"Kakashi-sensei! Weren't you at the hokage tower?"  
"I was." the one-eyed jounin nodded "I've got a mission, are you free?"  
Naruto shrugged "Jiraya isn't there right now, apparently he's got a spy reporting in so I don't know when he'll be back so... sure!"  
Sasuke shrugged – while he had started the exam to enter the Anbu, regular mission still took priority for him until he was accepted within the ranks of black-ops.  
"Same." he nodded  
"Perfect!" the gray-haired smiled wildly "We'll only miss Yami-chan and Inari-kun and it'll be like old time." a sigh "Too bad they aren't available, I've checked..."

"Whose the last team member then?" the blond asked, just as disappointed as his sensei - it would have been rather fun to have a musing with their old team 7 complete, something that was going happen less and less now that they were all jounin  
The other shrugged lackadaisically before eyeing the people around "Ayame, Haku, one of you is free for a mission?"  
The two shared a glance, and Haku nodded sedately "I'm free right now."

"Yeah, I'll pass," Ayame waved them away "I'm waiting for Isao to finish his training before going on mission with him."  
"Alright then, Team Hatake meet me by the entrance in an hour, pack for cold weather we're escorting a filming crew to Yuki no Kuni and meeting them in Yu no Kuni." he waved some tickets "And I've even got entrances for the latest Princess Fuun movie when we get to Yu no Kuni!"  
"Yatta!"  
"Uh. Maybe I should have dropped Isao." Ayame mused as the team headed out, making Zabuza snort from his position training with the blade he'd commissioned to replace his old Kubikiribouchou  
As for Kakashi and his team, they were already on their way - and soon in a projection room, seated to the roof while watching the film.

****[Secondary Quest! A Frozen Heart...****  
__Things may get heated in the frozen lands__  
****Reward******:** +5XP per goal, +2PP upon completion]

"That was awesome!" Naruto crowed enthusiastically as soon as they exited the room "This was so inspiring!"  
"Tch, calm down idiot." Sasuke sighed, rolling his eyes "It's just a story."  
"I know that!" the other protested heatedly "But the point of a story is to spark some emotions, and that princess, she really was awesome!"  
"Fujikaze Yukie-san really is a talented actress." Haku agreed calmly

The other didn't have the time to answer – as both Naruto and Kakashi had turned toward the nearby fence, from the other side of which they could hear the sound of a stampede incoming  
With a sound of whooshing wind, a white horse was jumping over them, a familiar woman in classical outfit mounting it – soon followed by a troop of armored men.  
"Wait... Is the actress we're suppose to escort... pursued by her own bodyguards?" Naruto mused, disbelief clear in his voice  
"Is it what is called artistic divergences?" Haku mused

"So what do we do?" Sasuke asked  
"Well... we can't well escort Fujikaze-san if she doesn't board the boat this evening." Kakashi mused  
The trio nodded, Haku flying through hand-signs as Naruto and Sasuke jumped forward – ice rapidly spreading between the two of them toward the white horse speeding ahead.  
With the equine now stumbling on the slippery ground, it was child's play for the two new jounin to catch the girl, despite her loud protests.  
Seeing as she wasn't calming down, Sasuke sighed, and with a flash of sharingan the girl was falling asleep – a few hours latter, all were aboard, leaving with the tide toward the north – and Yuki no Kuni.

"I've had all my illusions shattered." Naruto mumbled despondently "How can a woman that act like a brat can play someone as awesome as Fuun-hime?" he protested  
True to his comment – the dark blue haired, dark blue eyed woman had started a full blown-out temper tantrum once she'd awakened and realized she was already on her way for Yuki no Kuni.  
"You know..." Sasuke mused "Even if she's bratty, it's the country we're going to that seems to be the problem, has she already gone there?"  
The producer and the actress' manager shared a glance "Not that I know, no." the first answered  
All shinobi present noticed the absence of answer from the second man.

"Well, this mission is already going the Uzumaki way." the Uchiha heir mused as they left the meeting room  
"Hey!"  
"What, you can't deny it! Your luck is bipolar!"  
The blond mumbled a protest – but he didn't have any argument to contradict his best friend given that the dark-haired boy was right...

The next few days were rather monotonous as their ship sailed north – while had been rather interesting at first to see how things worked during a shooting, even that had soon become part of the routine.  
Even if, they had to admit, no matter how cold and rather bratty Yukie acted on a daily basis, she was someone completely different in front of the camera.  
It was after a week at see that all were awakened by the stunned shouts of the sailor on watch.

"Believe me captain, I didn't sleep during my watch! This thing really appeared... Like... Like magic!"  
"Well I don't know about magic," Kakashi mused "but there was a surge of chakra a few moments ago..."  
"Bah, it must have been another vessel's navigator that pushed this monster out of his way and right into ours." the captain mused with a frown, mumbling about lack of professionalism  
The shinobi shared a glance – while they knew some civilians did use chakra in their work, some navigators knowing how to coax wind in their sails or push the obstacles in the water away, just like the filming crew knew how to create visual effects to mimics the flashier jutsu with beautiful but harmless feats of chakra, this hadn't felt like the rather tame feeling those people gave off when they worked...

"This... This is perfect!" the produced exclaimed over Kakashi's call for cautiousness "We've been gifted with the perfect stage, let's make use of it!"  
Soon, the landing boats were pulled down, filming crew on-board, and they were setting foot on the gigantic iceberg.  
The four shinobi kept at the ready as the filming was soon underway – with good reason, as it was soon proved, as just as the actor playing the started his speech, the icy ground shook, not with the fake effects of the visual effects team but from a very real jutsu.  
Haku quickly went through the correct hand-signs, bending the ice around them to his will to catch the poor actor before he was thrown off from the height he was on.  
"Well, well, well," a pale violet-haired and light green-eyed man mused "if it isn't Hatake Kakashi. It has been a while."

"Rouga Nadare." the jounin greeted back, clearly knowing the other man  
"Those aren't missing-nin." Haku mused "Why are they attacking us?"  
"Ah we've got nothing against Konoha, of course." the man answered in a sweet tone that clearly indicated he wouldn't mind having something against them "But I'm afraid you're standing between us and our target."  
Sasuke and Naruto shared a glance, sliding in front of Yukie – because clearly, between the way the trio was eyeing her, and her own reaction, it was rather clear she was their target.

"The filming has been approved by Yuki no Kuni's daimyo." the producer contradicted "We've got all the correct paper-work."  
The Yuki shinobi laughed "You mean you don't know who you're traveling with? How naughty of you princess!"  
"Are you an idiot!" one of the members of the filming crew protested "She's an actress, not a real princess!"  
"No, she is a real princess." the man smirked "Time to come home, Koyuki-hime."  
The name seemed to break the terror she had been stuck in – but only for a brief moment. She stumbled back, falling to the ground, blue eyes darkened by terror – Kakashi snapped to the crew "Get back to the ship, we'll take care of them!"

¤.¤.¤

"And you think you'll be able to, Kakashi-san?" the other taunted "You lost last time, you will loose this time too!"  
Kakashi didn't answer, instead flaring his chakra.  
From the side, the other two Yuki shinobi jumped forward – Naruto took on the larger one, while Sasuke faced the pink-haired kunoichi. Meanwhile Haku, raised a wall of ice between the still paralyzed with fear actress and the battle, before rushing to her side, shaking her "Yukie-san! Come on we've got to get you to the ship!"

The girl's eyes focused on him, but she still seemed incapable of moving, so Haku bent down, lifting her up before starting to rush toward the crew that was already boarding the small boat – the Yuki clan-member torn between being impressed at how professional they were, still filming despite the situation, and how unconscious they seemed to be of their own safety to keep on filming despite the situation...

Kakashi frowned as his sharingan copied the other's jutsu a second before it was release – Nadare had already been a jounin ten years ago, when he'd last met him, and his jutsu hadn't lost anything power-wise, quite the contrary.  
_**"Hissatsu Hyousou!"**_  
And while contrarily to the Yuki Clan, the shinobi of Yuki no Kuni didn't create the ice of their jutsu from mixing two elements but simply took and manipulate what was already present in the cold region they lived in – it didn't make those jutsu any less powerful, especially on an iceberg that was without a doubt one of their strongest battleground.

Jumping to avoid the large ice spikes, he focused on his chakra, the chirping of his first unique jutsu soon echoing – with a burst of speed, he was soon directly against Nadare.  
Only for the chidori to seem to strain against the air, before fizzling down under the jounin's stunned eyes.  
"Ah! Did you think we hadn't made any progress in those last ten years!" the other mocked "Our chakra armor have massively improved, something like your chidori won't be able to break through anymore!"

**"**_**Hyouton: Tsubame Fubuki!"**_  
Sasuke's sharigan flashed, each eye now having the full three tomoe, and he dodged the icy swallow, before calling _**"Katon: Housenka no Jutsu!**__" _the myriad of fiery flickers annihilating the icy jutsu before he jumped forward with a regular _**"Katon: Goukyaku no Jutsu!"**_.  
Just like Kakahi, his jutsu seemed to fizzle as it neared the Yuki kunoichi, making him frown – understanding dawning as the older jounin's voice was heard on the vocal chat...  
"Chakra armor. An invention of Yuki no Kuni, it protects and reinforces the wearer, and nullify the incoming attacks." a sigh "Ten years ago, it was rather easily overpowered by a strong enough jutsu, but clearly they've improved them since then..."

Naruto, who for now had mainly encountered the last shinobi's ice walls, acknowledged the explanation, but couldn't help but point out "Still, stronger they maybe, they can't be invincible."  
"Well..." a smile could be heard in Kakashi's voice "My chidori wasn't enough, but there's still a crack in the generator powering his armor. The idiot is just too blinded by his arrogance to notice it."

"Alright, so we can break those thing, but we'll have to bring out the heavy artillery." the blond nodded, a large smile on his face _"Hey Kurama, want to stretch out you limbs?"  
___"Took you long enough to offer."__the fox smirked __"I'm rather curious to test how sturdy those armor really are..."___  
_Naruto laughed and flashed through the hand-signs for summoning, Kurama soon appearing, three tails waving in the icy air and just as tall as his summoner himself.  
"Go help your Uchiha friend, I'll play with this one."

A nod, and the blond jumped toward his team-mate, while the red-furred beast prowled toward the larger of the three shinobi, the icy wall melting with a simple flare of his chakra.  
"Feh! You think a simple summon will be enough against me?"  
"For one, I'm not a **_simple_** summoning," Kurama answered, disdain dripping in his voice "and second..." his fangs glinted as he smirked "This much power is more than enough against you!"  
The fox jumped, corrosive chakra gathering around his claws

**"**_**Combination! Shakuton: Dairyuudan!"**__  
_Wind and fire combined, roaring toward the pink-head in front of them – the girl frowned and tried to dodge – but the dragon followed, still controlled by both jounin. Finally, she got hit and both boys jumped forward, Sasuke calling _**"Uchiha Enjin!"**_, coating his tanto in a blaze of fire and lightning before stabbing the yin-yang inscribed generator.  
The crack already present from the previous jutsu deepened, sending the dark-haired boy back a few meters – but of course, Naruto had been ready, jumping forward with his own jutsu to finish the job.

Seeing this, the girl jumped back, barely dodging his _**"Neton: Otokiri no Jutsu!"**__, _she eyed the large cut the unknown jutsu had left behind and activated a hidden switch on her armor.  
"Hey!" Naruto protested "Isn't that cheating?" he wondered, pointing at the girl that, with a flare of chakra, now had wings looking like a glider – a beat "Well, I guess we're shinobi..."  
Sasuke turned toward Kakashi's own fight, and realized that the other Yuki shinobi seemed to be on the same wave-length as he was disengaging too after one last jutsu...

_**"Hyoton: Rouga Nadare no Jutsu!"**_  
"Isn't this a bit arrogant?" Naruto pointed out as they started to retreat back toward the ship "Using his whole name in a jutsu?"  
"Well, if it fits..." Sasuke shrugged  
Haku rolled his eyes, dropping the actress he was still holding in Kakashi's arms as he arrived too before going through hand-signs _**"Hyouton: Suihouseki!"**__  
_"Wow!" the blond jounin exclaimed "That's a new jutsu!"  
Haku nodded but didn't verbalize his answer, clearly straining a bit as the tall wall of crystal hard ice shards strained under the assault of a pack of snow wolves...

Kurama sent the body still stuck on his claws flying as he felt the whole iceberg start to shudder and shatter under the strain of the two opposing jutsu, and jumped toward the Konoha team.  
"Well, Kurama 1, ningen 0." he taunted  
"Hey! They ran away, I don't see how we lose anything!" Naruto protested  
"****My**** opponent won't be running anywhere."  
"Well he won't be answering any questions either, so you loose too!"

"Uh," Haku mused "I think Naruto-kun must bicker just as much with Kurama-san than with Sasuke-kun... I didn't think that was possible..."  
"He didn't... I can't believe he compared me to an Uchiha of all things!" the fox complained  
"Say... What do you have against the Uchiha?" Naruto muse "I mean sure, they used to be stuck up and all, but enough to hate them?"  
"It's those damn eyes!" Kurama roared in anger, chakra crackling around him "If that bastard Madara hadn't decided to use those fucking eyes of doom to ensnare me, the idiot Hashirama wouldn't have had the grand idea to seal us all!"  
"Well yes, but that was also Zetsu's fault, you've seen Inari's memories..." Naruto answered

"Besides," Sasuke added "Indra had the sharingan too, and you got along with him didn't you?"  
The fox sighed at the pointed remark, but didn't contradict it "Well, I guess..." he eventually admitted "What annoys me isn't as much the Uchiha as a whole rather than idiots that misuse the sharigan... Or any kind of power."  
"My clan was rather arrogant because of our **doujutsu**." the clan heir admitted, surprising the fox  
"We've changed since the massacre but it will take some times before people forget the idiots who acted arrogant only because of their name, and stole jutsu without any regard for their owners, be them allies or enemies."

Soon, the four shinobi had caught up with the filming crew, and everyone was back aboard – Kurama having gone back to his seal after eyeing the ship dubiously, not quite sure his mere presence wouldn't set the thing ablaze; he may have a real body now, it was difficult to forget centuries as a giant, fiery being of chakra in a few weeks.  
Yukie had been brought back to her room – and Kakashi had been the one to open the hand still gripped on her necklace even while unconscious. He eyed the pendant, recognition clear in his eyes, before asking something to Haku – the ice weaving shinobi nodded his ascent, and soon, the crystalline violet gem was resting on the actress' nightstand.

Finally, ship now sailing toward Yuki no Kuni once more, the filming crew and the shinobi were once more in the meeting room.  
"So... A princess, eh?"  
"She is." Kakashi nodded "Kazahana Koyuki, only daughter of Kazahana Sousetsu, former Daimyo of Yuki no Kuni."  
"She was believed to have died in the fire that destroyed the old Kazahana Shiro." Sandayu, Yukie's manager, explained  
"You mean... You knew!" the cameraman realized  
"So this script you suggested was only a ploy to take us to Yuki no Kuni?"

"I'm sorry." the man confirmed, head bowed in apology "I was a retainer's of Sousetsu-sama." a sigh "None of us could stand the idea of Kazahana Dotou replacing him when we all knew he was the one to have deposed and killed his brother..."  
By now he was staring at his hands – rugged hands, the shinobi noted, hands that bore the signs of martial training, clearly, he hadn't always been a manager.  
"We started to organize a resistance against that man, and I was sent abroad to find anything that would help in our fight. People, weapons, money... That's when I found Yukie-san."  
"And you recognized her."

"I did." a smile brightened his weathered face, shedding quite a few years "And suddenly, I realize we had hope yet... Because if Koyuki-sama was still alive, then Dotou didn't have any right to the throne!"  
"And so you decided to bring me back to this forsaken land with a fake scenario!" the cold voice of Yukie mused "There's just a little thing you forgot in all this... I have no intention of going back!"  
The cold rejection didn't deter her manager, that fell into dogeza to the ground "Please, Koyuki-hime! With you back, we could take the country back!"  
"I love it!"

The filming crew all but sweat-dropped at the enthusiastic proclamation of their director "It's even better than filming the adventure of a fake princess... The struggle of a country taken over by a tyrant, the fight of a real princess to reclaim her birthright!"  
"Isn't anyone listening to me?" the woman asked coldly "I have no intention of going to Yuki no Kuni! It's pure suicide, we'll be killed!"  
"Well, you are still under contract to perform as Fuun-hime." the director pointed out  
"Bah! Contracts are broken everyday, an actress can change between a movie and it's sequel!"

"Honestly by this point whether you want to set foot in Yuki no Kuni or not doesn't really matter." Kakashi pointed out idly, seemingly more interested by his usual orange book than the conversation  
"The ship's destination is Yuki no Kuni." Naruto nodded "They have some cargo to deliver, not to mention our provisions won't last if we turn back to Yu no Kuni." he explained  
"Besides, since two of those shinobi managed to flee, they'll report to Dotou." Sasuke added "You already have a target on your back."  
The girl frowned, and didn't bother to answer, instead turning back to her room.  
"And the princess is sulking again..." Naruto sighed "Say, Kakashi-sensei, what can you tell us about Yuki no Kuni and the Kazahana?"

¤.¤.¤

The jounin sighed – technically the mission had been an Anbu one, but since it was relevant to their current struggle, there should be no problem in talking about it.  
"Yuki no Kuni is a country up so north that it's always covered in snow. They have a small hidden village, Yukigakure, but it's not that powerful. Given how remote and bare it is, the country isn't very rich, and their main force is their innovative industries..."  
"Like this chakra armor?"  
"Precisely." the older jounin nodded "Back then, the Daimyo had heard rumors about his brother's treachery, and the fact that Yukigakure was siding with him, so he sent a request to Konoha..." a sigh "My Anbu team was sent. I was the only one to come back..."

The affirmation stunned them – after all, they knew Kakashi wasn't someone who left people behind, so the mission must have really gone bad for something like this to happen...  
"Even if they were mere prototypes back then, we weren't ready for the chakra armor." he explained "My two team-mate's that were protecting Sousetsu-sama died with him, so the Lynx of that time and I decided to leave with the little princess." a sigh "In the end, he sacrificed himself to help us leave the country alive."  
"So how didn't you recognize her as Yukie?"

"Well, she was barely ten year old back then." he pointed out "And once we arrived in Konoha, the Anbu commander was the one who took over, taking the little girl." a shrug "Mongoose only told me the girl had been set up with a new identity, and sent to Edo, the capital city."  
"And now you are convinced that it's her?"  
"The pendant." he explained "That was the thing Sousuke-san was passionate about it those last days, apparently he was working on a very big project that had all but emptied the coffers, and this crystal was the key to activate it... Dotou overthrew him before he could activate it."

After that, he went over in more details about the jutsu used by the Yukigakure shinobi, the kind of technologies he'd seen in the country, and so on...  
A couple of days later, they were landing in Yuki no Kuni.  
In the meantime, Yukie had been just as cold and aloof as usual – yet still doing her job while the filming crew was continuing to film Fuun-hime's latest adventure, something that puzzled the shinobi.

While they all realized that they were in danger with their incoming arrival in Yuki no Kuni, they still took pride in their job, continuing to film according to the script – even if the director was also clearly filming things out of the film itself, like the fight on the iceberg, or everyday moments of the crew's life on-board.  
"A documentary!" the man had explained when Kakashi had taken him to the side to ask about it "Think about it, if we do end up in the middle of a civil war, this will be a unique opportunity for us!" a smile "Of course, I'll negotiate the usual agreement with Konohagakure, editing the jutsu name and hand-signs, negotiating fee with the four of you, putting a team to edit your faces so you aren't recognizable to the regular public..."  
The jounin nodded – clearly, the man knew what he was talking about.

"I do understand about the danger, like my crew does." the bespectacled man explained, uncharacteristically seriously "We're the crew that did the documentary on the Kiri bloodline massacre." Kakashi's eyes widened at the admission – the documentary was famous among shinobi, but the crew that had filmed it had kept it's name hidden in order to avoid reprisals from Kirigakure "We may seem carefree, or even reckless, but we do realize we're in danger." he admitted, a bit more somberly that was usual for his usually unconcerned attitude "It's our own way to keep the fear at bay."  
Kakashi nodded – it was rather impressive coming from civilians he had to admit, as even if most of the crew seemed to have some basis of self-defense, this clearly would be effective only against high-way bandits, not the shinobi they were against this time.

But well – they had been hired to protect them, even if a civil war hadn't been in their contract.  
The mission may have gone up from A-rank to S-rank – it wasn't one they intended to give up. Especially Kakashi, who still remembered bitterly his last stay in the country.  
He had liked Sousetsu – so if simply by doing his job, he could get revenge for the man, and the team-mates he had lost, he wouldn't say no to it!

Kakashi hadn't lied – Yuki no Kuni was cold, drab, and quite more technologically advanced than most countries, as the crew had already rented a few trucks.  
The sight was rather impressive for the younger shinobi, that had never seen anything but the traditional horse-drawn wagons merchants used to travel across the lands – of course, they hid their surprise well, instead already going over how they'd split among the transportations and looking at the weaknesses and advantages of the trucks.  
But another thing was rather clear – the vibes around the town were drab, people looking withdrawn and tired, the port lacking life for the one link between the country and the main lands...

It was no wonder people were ready to depose Dotou if the rest of Yuki no Kuni was just as bad.  
They hadn't wasted time to unload the filming crew supplies and equipment, quickly getting on their way – after all, knowing that they probably already had people after them, it was better not to linger in town, where a fight would necessarily cause collateral damages.  
"Wow," Sasuke mused as he was keeping watch on top of the first truck "this tunnel is gigantic. But... Why is it so big?"  
Kakashi pointed at the faintly visible rails under the ice "This wasn't a road at first, but a rail-track for the train."  
"What's a train?" Haku asked from his own position on top of another of the trunks  
"Some kind of bigger truck, but that need a special ground to circulate." the gray-haired jounin simplified "It was the pride of the country, but it was too costly to maintain, so it was shut down a few years before Sousetsu died."

Naruto, who'd been listening too, sighed as something pinged his senses "Well, just like expected our damsel in distress is making a runner." he dropped to the ground just as they were heading out of the large tunnel "I'll catch up with her, the crew can start to set up their things, we'll be back before too long."  
With that he was going back into the dark ice tunnel – internally rather impressed by how fast she'd managed to go in the few moments she'd had to run away. Clearly, the girl was used to snow to progress so fast in it – and she'd been intelligent enough to jump from her own truck just as it entered the tunnel, taking advantage of the fact the air movements were different in the tunnel, and as such it had taken a bit more time for the two shinobi with canine senses to catch up with her escape plan.  
"Couldn't she put the same energy in something more productive?" he mumbled while catching up with her "Playing time's up hime-sama." he called

The woman tried to run – stumbled and winced as she realized she'd twisted her ankle. Naruto dropped by her side, and soon, she was on his back, the two of them trekking back toward the rest of the crew.  
"Why do you bother?" she asked  
"We're getting paid for this."  
"The contract is as good as voided given that the circumstances have changed."  
The blond was rather surprised she'd caught that, but didn't deny it. Finally he answered "As much as you civilians are set on seeing us as cold-blooded killers that work only for the paycheck, we do have feeling too."

"I never said anything about that."  
"You thought it loud enough." a shrug "You're not the only one, we're used to it."  
"Still. You could die."  
"Konoha blood has already been spilled in the country." he pointed out "This time we won't be the one loosing."  
"You're so sure of yourself."  
"We're three jounin, and Haku may not have the rank, he's as good as Sasuke and I." he answered with a shrug "Sandayu was lucky when he got us, a team of four jounin is unheard of under regular circumstances."

"And why is your team so overpowered?"  
"We're friends." he answered frankly "And it's probably the last time in a while that we could do a mission together."  
"What? It's like a get together for you? You could all die!"  
"We're shinobi, princess," he ignored her 'don't call me that!' "we could always die."  
"Why would you do something so dangerous voluntarily?"

"Because it helps people. Because if we're the one to fight, people that don't know how won't have to, because I love my village and the people in it, and want to protect it." a sigh "I'm rather peaceful, but honestly, people can't live without conflict."  
"But I don't want to fight yet you're forcing me!"  
"Did we ever say you'd have to do any fighting?" Naruto contradicted "We'll protect you." a shrug "Apparently Kakashi-sensei already protected you before, didn't he? Besides, there's plenty of people who're ready to fight for you..."  
"I never asked them for anything!"

"Of course you didn't, it was their own choice. But just as it's my duty to fight as a shinobi, as a hime, it's your duty to answer to their trust by leading them."  
"I'm not a princess anymore!"  
You'll always be a princess." Naruto contradicted "It's just a question of whether you'll always hide behind your actress front, or grow up and accept it."  
"I'm afraid!"  
"Everyone is afraid in life. At least people intelligent enough..." the Uzumaki answered "You just have to know if you're strong enough to face your fears or not."

While she was still afraid – Naruto could feel that his words had been heard. He smiled minutely, the girl making him think about what Yagami and her team had told them about Takigakure's leader. He hoped that she would find her courage, just like the chuunin had – because like he'd said, the fate of the whole country rested on her shoulders, as much as she didn't like it.  
Of course – things could change, if she chose to still run, people would eventually find another figurehead and retake the country for themselves – but it would take far more time, and in the meantime, the country would keep on suffering under Dotou's clearly harsh reign.

¤.¤.¤

Before Yukie – or rather, Koyuki – could answer, he stilled having caught a strange flare of chakra. He turned, and realized – that under his feet, the rails were unfreezing. With a short cuss, he started to run, calling on the vocal chat to Kakashi and Sasuke and warning them about the incoming of probable hostiles.  
"I'm going to grow a bit warm," he warned the princess on his back as he called chakra to his muscles "don't let go!" in answer, she gripped at him even tighter, fear clear in the gesture  
Via ****Chaos**** ****Game****, Kakashi acknowledged the report and told him they were moving the filming crew – that wouldn't flee to far away as they were still intent on witnessing and filming the events, and anyway couldn't be left alone as it would leave them open to a second wave of enemies.

Still – as they had been warned a bit it gave time for Haku to work – and the ideal playground let him create a fort well hidden in the landscape, to protect the civilians as well as possible.  
Sandayu had gone to gather his rebels, convinced that Dotou himself was coming for them – knowing the man, Kakashi tended to agree; and while the idea of more people to keep an eye on didn't enchant him he understood well that those people wanted to fight for their country.  
Barely a few minutes had gone by when Naruto arrived, princess on his back.  
A few steps behind them, a heavily armored train, filled with shinobi – and soon stepping out, just as expected, Kazahana Dotou himself.

"You've grown, Koyuki, isn't it time to stop running away?" the man called toward the woman that was now near the hidden fort where crew was holing up "Just give me the Hexa Key and you'll be free to run back in your hole, to live your life as an actress rather than a princess!"  
At the grand declaration, her hands went to her necklace – the small gesture not missed by her uncle – and she stepped back, eyes darkening. If there was one thing she didn't believe, it was that the man would let her live.  
She'd known for year, that coming back to Yuki no Kuni would only end up in her death...

Her somber thoughts were stopped by Sandayu's loud voice "The day has come for you to give back what you've stolen, Dotou!"  
A loud clamor was heard behind him, and turning, Koyuki realized that dozens of people were with him, wearing just like him old yet familiar outfits – those people had been samurai, she realized, the small unit of warrior that had been dedicated to her father's protection, their role more symbolic than real as the country was so isolated.  
They'd been caught short by Dotou's rebellion, most of them killed by Yukigakure's shinobi that had sided with the man...  
But apparently, not all of them had died – and they hadn't forsaken their old allegiances.  
"For Koyuki-hime!"

The shinobi contained a wince – a full out charge like this wasn't really their favored type of battle, but this was the kind of things that tended to happen in war, it couldn't be helped.  
With a cross-shaped hand-signs, dozens of _**kage**_ _**bunshin**_ were called by Naruto, dozens of copies of the boy appearing under the princess' stunned eyes. The young jounin had been right, as was proved the next moments when most of the clones popped in one attack.  
The main wagon of the train, on top of which Douto was standing, had opened – and a machine was hidden inside, activated by one shinobi and making hundreds of kunai fly at once.

"Well," Sasuke mused "that thing is impressive but it can't have an unlimited number of ammunition!"  
The comment cut through the oppressive silence that had followed, and the samourai, that had stopped in their tracks, charged again.  
In front of them, the shinobi was rushing through what could only be the process of reloading – but Haku was at the ready to protect the warrior again when needed, while Kakashi and Naruto were trading place, Naruto and Sasuke back in their usual team.  
"That man is a monster..." the princess whispered, feeling her legs give out under her, but kept upright by the jounin by her side

"He is." Kakashi confirmed easily " But that doesn't make him invincible."  
"How can you be so sure of yourselves?" she repeated "Naruto-san is just the same..."  
"That boy isn't someone who gives up easily." Kakashi confirmed with a small smile hidden behind his mask  
"I'm jealous." the princess admitted, hands still around her necklace, wondering what her uncle wanted with it  
"You're the only one that can change that in yourself."  
"It's not that easy."

"Of course it isn't." he pointed toward the samurai that were now fighting "But you're not alone."  
"They will die."  
"Some might." he admitted – some were already on the ground "But it will be on their terms." a shrug "I'm a shinobi. We'll all die one day, it's just a question of choosing.. Do you want to be killed cowering in a corner and spending your days afraid, or fighting for your own dreams?"

Koyuki 's eyes widened at the question, never leaving the fight not too far from them – and truth be told, the fight was far more even than she would have thought, than it would have been if Naruto's clone hadn't been there to block the insane attack – and now the samurai were fighting against the shinobi that had to leave their moving fortress. And if their jutsu were making victims, as out-of-shape as their were, the rebels were samurai, warriors who dedicated their life to their sword, and knew best how to fight against shinobi.  
People were falling on both sides.

Finally, the kunai launcher was ready once more – but Haku's ice had been there, a wall rising between the machine and the battlefield, to Dotou's unmasked frustration.  
Naruto and Sasuke were fighting against Nadare, the jounin having visibly replaced his armor, and protecting his Daimyou – while the pink-haired girl was inching toward Kakashi, who was ready, amused at her failed attempt at discretion.  
The gray-haired made the princess step back, running through the hand-signs of summoning – his pack appearing, ready for battle.  
"Protect her." he instructed "I'll take care of the rabble."  
"You got it, boss!"

Koyuki was rather stunned to suddenly be surrounded by eight dogs of different sizes, all ready for a fight – but her attention was caught by Kakashi, who had stepped forward, chakra crackling _**"Ranton: Daryudan!"**_  
A large, sparkling and blueish dragon rushed toward the kunoichi, who was caught by surprised. She was propelled back several meters, her armor sparkling under the remains of the powerful jutsu – it hadn't been enough to short-out the armor, but it had clearly taken it's toll on it.  
_**"Hatake Ryuu: Raiga!"**_

Not letting the other recover, the jounin was already rushing forward, a tanto in hand – the short blade made in a very light white alloy, nearly invisible under the dense, white chakra unique to his bloodline.  
With a strike of the unassuming weapon, the yin-yang generator was cracked, blade sinking into the engine, and in the girl's body beneath, making her cough blood as it had been near enough her heart that her aorta had been cleanly cut through.

For now hiding behind a few of his men, Nadare leading them but getting steadily pushed back by Naruto and Sasuke's impressive team-work – Dotou was realizing that things weren't going his way.  
With a frown, he gestured to his men, and the inner-circle of the shinobi fighting were soon retreating from the wagon where the kunai-launcher had been toward another one, a pair of shinobi uncoupling it from the rest of the train – the top of the wagon opened, and in mere minutes, it went from wagon to the cradle of a dirigible.

¤.¤.¤

While the Konoha team had seen the thing being deployed – they were kept busy by Dotou's men, and as such couldn't prevent it from taking flight.  
Still – Dotou and Nadare may have fled, this first battle had been a win for them and the rebels.  
Quickly, they went around to organize help for the wounded, the filming crew getting out of it's hiding-hole to help, one camera still shooting.  
Even if Haku was the one with the most medical know-how, the three others still knew the basis of first-aid and did whatever they could to help the less injured while the ice-wielder focused on the more serious cases.

Koyuki, still limping, came with the filming crew, looking at the scene with something akin to confusion in her eyes. Soon, she'd made her way near Sandayu.  
The man wasn't young, and he'd felt the effect of it in battle, having earn a nasty slash he wouldn't have a few years earlier – but the smile on his face, like on the others, was unmistakable. It wasn't the large, blinding smile of a child still innocent – it was the lighter, more serious smile of someone who'd gone through the worst and was now seeing the end of his nightmares in hand's reach.  
"We did it, hime-sama."  
"What did you do?" she asked – her voice seemingly as cold as ever, but all that knew her realized that there was a fragile quality to it she usually didn't have "A bunch of old guys, most of your are wounded, quite a few gone... What was the point?"

"Well, we proved Dotou and his men aren't as invincible as they vaunted themselves to be." he answered patiently, not taking umbrage of the harsh tone he was rather used to "This was only the first battle, Koyuki-hime."  
"And how do you plan on getting Dotou? His fortress is impregnable, isn't it?"  
"It is just as impregnable as he is invincible." the man answered, earning an amused smile from the people around him  
Hope shinning far brighter in their eyes now than before the fight.

Sure – they'd taken loss, and it hadn't been an easy fight. Worst it could have ended before it even started if it hadn't been for Naruto... But they'd came out of it on top, Dotou the one having to flee with his tail between his legs. The usurper may have built himself a fortress, they'd had time to learn everything about it – and wouldn't be rushing at it without a plan.  
"Well," Kakashi was the one to comment as he heard the men around them say as much "We'll plan while traveling." a smile "I do know a thing of two about war, hime."

Koyuki didn't offer anymore protest – which was as good as approval from her. She wasn't quite there yet – but the ice that seemed to have frozen her heart was getting melted with each of the shinobi's speech, each samurai getting up from the row of the wounded alive and ready to keep on fighting, each smile of the people around her, her people, as hope was being reborn in each of them...  
She fell in step with the filming crew she knew so well, offering silently her help – and soon just another pair of hands in the middle of the improvised healing station...

They spent the next few days off the beaten path, the few dozens of samurai left knowing all the hidden path around the country – and quite a few unknown but beautiful places.  
The filming was still progressing, but the true goal, all knew, was the large looming fortress that could be seen from miles away. Koyuki hadn't tried to run away anymore, even if she didn't look particularly approving of the scheming that happened every night around the camp fire.

The rebels hadn't been idle in ten years – they had made a few attempts at Dotou's life over the year, even if they had been fruitless, but more importantly they'd done quite a bit of spying. Thanks to that, they had a rather comprehensive map of the fortress where the man was holed up, and the hidden passages leading in and out of it...

"Our best bet is to split up," Sasuke mused "one smaller team with Naruto _**henge'd**_ as the princess to enter by the main entrance, while a couple of samurai use the hidden ways to open the way for the rest of the group."  
"A _**henge**_ is dangerous," one of the samurai pointed out "Nadare won't be fooled that easily and once he'd caught up with the deception that team will be alone with the strongest force until the rest of us arrive."

"Which is why we'll sent the strongest team, with the aim to take care of Nadare and Dotou as fast as possible." Kakashi pointed out, indicating Naruto, Sasuke and himself, before turning toward Haku "You'll be in charge of staying back with the filming crew to protect them and the princess."  
"I could also call Kurama before-hand," Naruto mused "to head the main assault."  
"There's a few places where we could place explosive too." another samurai mused "We don't have a lot of those, so we'll have to prioritize, but any little bit can help."

"That's not a problem!" Naruto smiled brightly, taking a wad of tags out of his ****Inventory**** "I'm a seal master! As long as some of you know how to activate sealing tags?" he asked "I know samurai don't use chakra externally..."  
A few voices indicated that they did know how to work the tags – a bit surprising, but those samurai weren't the rather stuck up men dedicated to their art that could usually be seen around powerful Daimyo or in Tetsu no Kuni; they were warriors who'd survived the overturning of their country, and were resolved to put the rightful heir on the throne, men, and a few woman, who'd pushed their traditions and principles to the side when needed to keep on fighting.  
Had they been but a few year younger, they would have taken back Yuki no Kuni a long time ago...

¤.¤.¤

What was probably even more surprising was when one of the special effect specialist from the filming crew suggested "What about some illusions..."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Well, you're not a lot so you can't be everywhere at once..." he smiled slyly "But it's our job to make people believe in things that aren't really there..."  
"Fake explosions aren't as damaging as true explosive tags," another took over, realizing what he meant "but they will still distract the people in this fortress."  
"Basic _**bunshin**_ may be all but useless for regular shinobi battle..." another added "But coupled with a filming technique to simulate footstep, it may yet make them believe we're more than they think, or not where they think..."

The shinobi shared a surprised glance – and another one when they realized that indeed, it could work! Not in a close-range battle, sure – but when the look-out from far away would seen the clones, and note the foot-steps, it may indeed fool them...  
After that, they found themselves looking the crew work during the day with even more focus that before. Any trick was good to learn for a good shinobi after all.  
It took a week of playing hide-and-seek with Dotou's forces before they were ready – the plan going under several amendments as they worked with what they had available, and one last minute change, as Koyuki herself had eventually stepped forward "Instead of risking a _**henge**__,_ take me."  
"Hime-sama, don't! It's far too dangerous."

"It is dangerous." she agreed easily – her hands were trembling, and is wasn't because of the cold "But... I always believed I wouldn't survive coming back here." she admitted aloud for the first time – before looking around at them "Dotou has managed to found us again and again." a sigh "I'm tired of running," she eyed the four shinobi "you were right... If I must die, I'd rather die fighting."  
Her smile was still cold yet far different from those of only a few days earlier "I'm an actress, I can keep his attention of us longer than anyone! This is how I'll fight!" she didn't seem to hear the cheer her proclamation had provoked "And if I must die, it won't be without at least attempting to avenge father..." another smile, far smaller but with a touch of something lighter "And if I live..." her voice trailed off, a whisper unheard by all but the shinobi "Then maybe it'll be the proof that I can hope again..."  
The next day had come fast after that.

****[War Time System enabled!]****

Koyuki had presented herself at the main gates, with only Haku by her side.  
"Take us to Dotou."  
Haku was impressed – just like she said, she was a true actress, seemingly regal and very assured when they all knew how afraid she really was. But as soon as she'd stepped into the role – her own role – her trembling hands had settled, her gaze cleared, and her posture straightened.

****[Haku entered the Fortress: ****1000WP**]  
******[Koyuki entered the Fortress: ****1000WP**]  
******[Kakashi entered the Fortress unseen: ****2000WP**]**

"You've lost some of your pet shinobi." Dotou mused a few minutes later, as they were escorted to the cold throne room, Nadare by his side and a couple of Yukigakure shinobi having replaced his team-mates as the main defense of the Daimyo

"I managed to convince one of them to help me run away." the princess answered coldly  
"Oh? Why did you accept something like that?" Nadare wondered "Isn't team loyalty something very important for you tree-huggers?"  
"Maybe for a true Konoha nin." Haku answered with a careless shrug – he was a good actor too after all, having lived years on the run "But I'm a Yuki, I was only adopted by that village for my bloodline..." a small smirk "But isn't a kekkai genkai like mine much better suited to Yuki no Kuni? One might even say I was born to lead ice wielding nin!"

"How ambitious!" Dotou laughed as Nadare twitched, clearly annoyed at the teen that was all but proclaiming he'd take his position "And you, Koyuki-chan? What do you want from your uncle?"  
"Isn't it evident?" she asked "I want my position back." she waved her hand "I don't mind you keeping the power..." a smile "But by marrying me to whatever heir you chose, you'll legitimize your reign, definitely killing off any rebellion, while I won't have to slave away as an actress to keep my lifestyle."  
"You are so much more reasonable than my brother." Dotou smiled, stopping the protest of his main protector with an imperious sign of hand "But it's not that simple!"

****[Naruto and Sasuke entered the Fortress unseen: ****+2*2000WP**]  
******[Rebel samurai entered the Fortress unseen: ****+12*100WP**]**

"True." Her hands went to the necklace around her neck "You want this, don't you?"  
He smiled, and gestured for her to come closer, a warning glance at Haku making the boy stay back. The cold smile grew a bit mad as she handed the violet, shimmering crystal, esoterical symbols of sealing barely noticeable in the jewel's depths.  
"Finally!"  
Koyuki's smile went from neutral to a bit more bloodthirsty "Finally indeed." she confirmed

****[Explosive tags placed: ****+10*100WP**]  
******[Illusive explosion tags placed: ****+20*50WP**]  
******[Ilusive samurai ambush complete: ****1000WP**]**

From the innermost of the fortress where they currently were, distant explosions could be felt – and in Dotou's hand, the Hexa Crystal started to shine brightly, chakra swirling around it. The bluenette stepped back, falling into Haku's hand, the boy dragging her in his mirror just as the pendant exploded violently.

****[Fake Hexa Crystal ambush complete: ****+1000WP]

When the dust settled, Dotou's outerwear had been shredded, as had good portion of the dais on which his throne was set – but, just as they had expected, the man himself was still whole, having worn under his Daimyo robes a more elaborate set of chakra armor.  
"Treacherous bitch!" the large man seethed, rushing toward his niece, all but frothing at the mouth "Where's the real crystal?"  
A wall of ice exploded into shard under one of his fist, but Haku, princess in his arms, had already retreated at the other end of the overly large room – and from the ceiling, Kakashi had dropped...

_**"Hatake Ryuu: Raiga!"**__  
_Nadare barely dodge the tanto, his armor crackling omniously as the other had clearly done some damage to it – meanwhile Haku was keeping up with the other two shinobi, while protecting the princess; as for Dotou, he'd stopped, rushing through hand-signs _**"Hyouton: Kokuryuu Boufuusetsu!"**__. _The ice that covered every surface of the fortress rose to his command if the form of a gigantic black dragon rushing toward the Yuki and his charge – only to be met by a _**"Combination! Shakuton: Dairyuudan!" **_from two newly arrived Naruto and Sasuke

****[Rebel samurai entered the Fortress: ****+28*50WP]

Dotou's eyes widened minutely as his attack struggled against the other elemental dragon – before the two jutsu all but canceled each other. Of course, Naruto and Sasuke hadn't wasted their time during the clash, the blond and the dark-head each having a new jutsu at the ready – Naruto with a powerful **fuuton** that propelled Sasuke forward, the other boy having his tanto shrouded in fire in the Uchiha sword style.

In the background, the sounds of battle had spread across the fortress – the multiple ambushes and explosive tags had done their job, taking the whole fortress by surprise and the fight was far more even than the rebels had ever hoped for.  
In the couple of fights they'd already had – Kakashi, as the one to have already battled those shinobi, had pointed out something the rebels hadn't really caught on as they were too deep in the situation to really realize. The Yukigakure nin had grown too reliant on their armor.  
And a complacent shinobi was a dead shinobi in the world they lived in.

Their jutsu were more powerful, and they were far more protected by their armor, but they had let themselves fall behind on their physical training as they had grown used to relying on their equipement – and the samurai, once they'd realized that too, knew precisely how to take advantage of it.  
_**"Ranton: hakkoujin!"**_

The repaired tanto that had belonged to Kakashi's father before him shone – the blade made specially to channel their unique chakra, that he had broken years ago and only repaired when Yagami had come into his life brimming with white, dense chakra charged not only in lightning but with water, making him the first Hatake to use the weapon with a secondary element...

And the result was worth the countless hours of training that had been needed to not only learn to meld to primary affinity – but on top of that use them with the unique blade.  
Because the ShiroKiba wasn't white anymore, but a luminescent azure color that reflected in the whole room – and despite the Yuki jounin having now a more powerful armor than before, the blade sunk easily in the yin-yang generator.

****[Rouga Nadare dealt with (deceased):**** +1000WP]

Further away, Haku was finishing his own two opponents, half a dozen icy sword levitating around him – as much as the teen didn't like to kill, he had soon be forced to use more lethal attacks against the two shinobi as they were determined to take the princess from him.  
Kakashi finishing Nadare had stunned his two underlings just enough – that they hadn't dodged the icy blades dancing around the Yuki clan-member.

Further away – Naruto and Sasuke were working as one against a Dotou that was growing more furious by the moment.  
"You're not helping them?" Koyuki couldn't help but ask as Haku and Kakashi arrived before her  
"Too many people against one enemy isn't really effective." the older jounin explained "And those two are the best combination among us." he eyed Haku "How are you?"

"I'm still good." the other answer rather calmly as he finished bandaging a wound on his right arm "You can head ahead."  
Kakashi nodded, mentally checking his chakra reserve, before leaving the room toward the nearest battle ground. He didn't need to go very far, as all samurai were pushing toward the throne room – and he couldn't help but be impressed as he realized that the filming crew wasn't too far either – members worse for the wear, clearly having taken a few hits, but still keeping up with the battle as they could, and honestly far less of a burden for everyone than he'd feared...

****[Fortress taken by the rebels: ****+1000WP]

The two jounin shared a glance at the update, eyes shinning with victory.  
Indeed – around them the sounds of battle were dying down, their own fight among the last; Dotou was putting up an impressive fight, his armor making up for much of his training that was still at least high chuunin level.  
"We need something with more punch to get rid of his armor." Naruto mused  
"Yeah, but we don't have the space for your chains."

"What's worked better has been blades against those armors." the blond mused  
"But my blade techniques aren't powerful enough alone, and yours will probably be just the same." Sasuke answered, like always following easily what his team-mate was thinking about  
"Then... What if we attack together?"  
The suggestion was logical, and innocent enough – but the words didn't convey the true difficulty of the blond's idea.

Contrarily to jutsu that could be launched, chakra enhanced sword techniques had to be sustained constantly – so they would have to combine their chakra, something they already knew how to do... But more importantly, they'd have to keep up the elemental manipulation while synchronizing their moves to attack as one, just like Inuzuka did, or similarly to Lee's Shadow Dance...  
Wind and fire blazed.  
_**"Combination Ryuu: Shakuton no Yaiba!"**_

Koyuki felt her legs give out under her, as in one last fiery hit, a blade sunk deep into her uncle's chest – the yin-yang generator straining under the onslaught of chakra, before exploding violently, sending both boys flying.

****[Kazahana Douto dealt with (deceased): ****+2000WP]

One man started cheer – then another, and soon, they realized that most of the samurai had arrived during the end of the fight, filming crew along.  
"Well, Koyuki-hime?" Kakashi asked, smiling  
The woman took his hand, climbing the stairs on the broken dais to face the rag-tag yet victorious team...  
"Thank you." the actress' voice broke, tears freely running along her face as she bowed toward the men "Thank you, for avenging my father, and proving me wrong. Thank you for fighting back for this land, when I didn't." she strengthened "Now, it's my turn." a smile "Let's repair this country, and work back together to make it into something my father would be proud of!"

****[War Time Map Closed!****  
****Total WP:**** 18 600]

* * *

****[Yagami ****/ Age 8(14) / Level 99  
****Physical Main Stat 128(216): ****Strength 36(66) / Agility 71(118) / Endurance 21(32)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 155(230):****Intelligence 62(95) / Will 37(51) / Wisdom 56(84)  
****Social Main Stat 112(192): ****Presence 21(32) / Perception 52(87) / Luck 39(73)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 340(560) / HP regen/min 3,44(6,37) / Chakra Points 738 / CP regen/min 8,29  
Damage 46,5(89,8) / Defense 25,5(46,9) / Reaction Speed 56(92,2)  
Chakra control 43,4(65) / Chakra Density 42,7(67) / Mind Speed 60,2(91,7)  
Critic Chance 22,6(56,6) / Critic Damage Multiplier 18,1(65,5), Loot Bonus 38(67,6)]

**[******Naruto****/ Age 12 / Level 75  
****Physical Main Stat 95(149): ****Strength 43(60) / Agility 34(44) / Endurance 18 (45)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 90(143):****Intelligence 36(39) / Will 29(70) / Wisdom 25(34)  
****Social Main Stat 67(110): ****Presence 18(20) / Perception 21(33) / Luck 28(57)  
****Secondary Stat: ****  
Health Points 262(478) / HP regen/min 2,65(4,84) / Chakra Point 798 / CP regen/min 7,98  
Damage 40,3(57,1) / Defense 25,5(49,5) / Reaction Speed 29,2(44,3)  
Chakra control 25,2(36,4) / Chakra Density 27,8(59,2) / Mind Speed 32,7(37,5)  
Critic Chance 5,29(12) / Critic Damage Multiplier 11,3(32,6), Loot Bonus 24,6(44,8)]

**[******Sasuke****/ Age 12 / Level 75  
****Physical Main Stat 112(145):****Strength 36(42) / Agility 56(83) / Endurance 20(20)  
****Spiritual Main Stat 91(155):****Intelligence 41(71) / Will 27(36) / Wisdom 23(48)  
****Social Main Stat 60(98): ****Presence 17(20) / Perception 24(55) / Luck 19(23)]

**[******Kakashi****/ Age 26 / Level 104]

**[******Haku****/ Age 16 / Level 75]


	12. XI Spring and Rock

**XI. Spring and Rock**

It had taken quite a few days after the battle before Koyuki had finally the time to ask back for her necklace.  
"Still..." she mused "Why was Dotou so desperate to have it?"  
"Because it's a key." Kakashi was the one to answer "I don't know what it opens exactly, but I do know where the keyhole is."  
There was a new mischievousness in the princess' eyes as she said "Then let's go!"

"My filming sense is tingling!" a voice proclaimed from the other side of the large hall where they were all eating  
"Is there such a thing ?" Naruto whispered to the actress  
She laughed "With the director... Definitely! And woe be who tries to come between him and a good scene!"  
"We wouldn't dare." Haku answered in a dead-pan tone  
And so – a few hours later, it wasn't only Koyuki and her protective team of Konoha nin, but the filming crew too that were pilling in a few dog sleds – destination the northernmost glacier, halfway between the old destroyed shiro and the new nearly razed down fortress; clearly Dotou too had known where the keyhole was...

"You seem just as excited as Koyuki-hime." Sandayu mused at Naruto as they approached the top of the glacier  
"Well yeah," the blond nodded "I've been able to take a look at the Hexa Crystal, and it's a marvel of sealing... I just wonder what kind of array we're going to find!"  
"You mean it's a key like the ones of the torii?" Sasuke mused, hand reaching absentmindedly toward the tear-shaped gem he wore around his neck just like the three others  
"Yes and no." Naruto answered "It's a key to make a larger array work, just like ours, but the purpose of the array isn't the same at all... In fact I've no idea what kind of array it might be given how complex it is! Something to do with the elements, that's all I can safely say..."  
The keyhole was in a tall ice spear in the middle of a large ice clearing surrounded by large ice panels – Koyuki inserted the crystal, and immediately, chakra started to stir around them, illuminating a snowflake shaped array on the ground... And not just any chakra...

_**"Sen chakra." **_Kurama was the one to identify from within his seal  
And indeed – nature itself was answering to the chakra, the air warming sensibly around them, and the ice starting to melt. Soon – they realized that the large ice walls around them disappeared, with the exception of six large crystalline mirrors illuminated by the chakra, and capturing the cold winter sun that was shinning above us...  
Above the ice pillar where the key had been activated – that was now a granite monument – an image appeared.  
Behind them, the director was heard squealing at the holographic scene playing out in front of them all, captured by his camera – this was the next step after regular film, he was heard muttering...

Koyuki was more focused on the scene itself.  
On the tall, kind looking man that was oh so familiar, and the smaller, female silhouette by his side.

_"What do you want to be when you grow up?"_ the bespectacled man asked with a smile  
_"A princess!"_ the little girl answered enthusiastically  
_"What kind of princess?"  
"A princess that's kind, and strong... and fight for justice!"  
_Koyuki was frozen, having completely forgotten the memory from an era long gone – then the image of her father laughed, and she smiled, a smile warm and far different from the icy expression that had been hers for ten long years.

_"That's a good dream!"_ the man praised _"Never forget it, always believe in it and you'll become that princess..."_  
"Even he is saying that, uh?" she mused, mirth in her eyes – first Naruto, then Kakashi and now even her father was telling her not to give up  
_"After all,"_ the image continued, tying around her neck a very familiar necklace _"I already see a kind and beautiful princess here."_  
The little girl smiled – then a small frown marred the cute girl's face _"But you know... I'm a bit conflicted..."_  
"Trust a hime-sama to use such complicated words so young!" Naruto teased  
The image forged pass her hesitation _"There's something else I want to be..."  
"Oh?"  
"An actress!"_  
The bright smile on the little girl's face was echoed on her older counterpart – and everyone else's face.

¤.¤.¤

But their surprises weren't finished – because while the projection was captivating most of their attention, the landscape around them had drastically changed, the ice having melted, but not only. The surge of natural chakra had done it's work, and the icy wonderland had been replaced by a clearing of spring in the middle of winter.  
Everyone was enchanted by the view, the princess explaining "Father had always promised that one day he'd bring spring to Yuki no Kuni..." she whispered wistfully  
Naruto had stars in his eyes – but the reason was far different, they soon realized as the young teen rushed between the fading fuuin pattern on the ground , the warm corner of nature around a little lake where the Hexa Crystal was still powering the place, and the still cold winter just outside of the boundaries of the place...

"It's... Yami-chan and Inari-kun would love to see this!" he enthusiastically claimed "It's a level of fuuinjutsu that hasn't been seen since the fall of Uzushiogakure!" the blond didn't realize that the others were looking at him oddly as he mused "The use of sen chakra in fuuinjutsu without making the whole area explode is a testament to the skill of whomever designed this... And to use those crystals as both catalyst during the activation phase and chakra converters during the maintaining phase..."  
"I don't understand the first thing about what he's saying." Haku admitted with an amused smile – the Yuki clan member had tried his hand at fuuinjutsu, but it just didn't click well with him  
"Well, he's already far past my level." Kakashi admitted "Bar the other Uzumaki, only Jiraya-sama can keep up with him when it comes to fuuinjutsu nowadays I think? And maybe Tsunade-sama, she's very advanced on medical seals..."  
After that discovery, the Konoha nin had stayed two weeks, Koyuki managing to both finish filming the newest adventures of Fuun-hime while laying the basis to rebuilt her country.

Notes had been found in the glacier about the project, and she was already planing how to take advantage of it – after all, her father had left her nothing less than the mean to create a man-made micro-climate. Naruto, as the expert in sealing of the group, had also been the only to warn her – of the effect on the general climate creating too much change could cause if it was done without taking precaution; for example her father had been intelligent enough to built his prototype in a place where the melting water wouldn't impact negatively the people or nature nearby. But also – the very real risk to her country becoming a leading expert in fuuinjutsu aimed toward civilian life could pose to the country.  
After all – most technologies relied on civilian use of chakra or seals, and some people wouldn't have any qualm in trying to steal the innovation made by a small country that wasn't know for it's military might.

She would have to protect her country before she started to make too many waves on the political scene...  
And the small country that had never been particularly war-oriented, was even more diminished after the new take-over. The samurai while loyal from the get go weren't numerous, and the shinobi, that weren't that many either were in the delicate position of having been on the loosing side of the conflict.  
The four shinobi had finally left with the filming crew – but not before attending the enthronement ceremony of the young princess as she officially accepted the title of Daimyo of Yuki no Kuni. While most other Daimyo hadn't made the trip, they'd still sent official representative – and the after party had been held in what was now know as the Spring Glacier, making quite an impression on the representatives, which no doubt would go back to the Daimyo.

Being a renowned actress had taught a thing or two about how politicking was done since she had been invited to quite a few galas and parties from the royal courts around the continent.  
"Still," Naruto wondered "won't you miss it?"  
"Miss what?"  
"Being an actress."  
A wink.  
"Who said anything about stopping?" the blue eyed woman asked with a smile "There's nothing that says a Daimyo can't be an actress too!" she waved a notebook that ad been until then hidden in the large folds of her traditional clothe "I've even already an idea for my next project!"

Kakashi paled as his eye caught the title of the scenario – and Naruto and Sasuke had to drag the man away. Haku was sporting a small blush – who knew Kakashi had managed to hook the teenager to his books...  
"I can't believe those trashy books are popular enough for an actress as famous as Yukie-san to be approached..." Sasuke mumbled  
"How much do you want to bet this is why Ero-Sennin had to suddenly leave the village?" Naruto sighed in answer  
The actress – and they had taken to refer to her as Koyuki when talking about her role as Daimyo and Yukie when talking about her life as an actress – giggled "I wasn't sold on the project either at first." she admitted "But the scenario really isn't that bad." a wink "You'll go if I sent you tickets, right?"

¤.¤.¤

The two boys shared a glance – but it was impossible to refuse Yukie when she was looking at them with such pleading eyes.  
After that, they'd gone, with promises to see each other again – and the Konoha nin didn't doubt that the relations between Konohagakure and Yuki no Kuni would be improving in the coming months as Koyuki had mentioned wanting to hire some people to check the trustworthiness of her current shinobi, and advise them about how to rebuilt their Hidden Village.  
Not to mention, of course, Naruto that had reiterated his affirmation that the Uzumaki would love some partnership about the country's fuuinjutsu work. What a lot of people didn't realize after all – was that one of the reason the Uzumaki had been the premier seal-masters in the world was because they hadn't separated the civilian from the shinobi side of things when they'd been doing their research, a mistake a lot of people tended to do, on both sides.

**[Secondary Quest Complete! A Frozen Heart...**  
_Things may get heated in the frozen lands_  
**Goal Complete: **Yukie protected  
**Goal Complete:** filming complete  
**Bonus Goal Complete: **Yukie has found her hope back  
**Bonus Goal Complete: **Yuki no Kuni repossessed  
**Hidden Goal Complete:** the samurai assisted  
**Hidden Goal Complete: **the filming crew assisted  
**Side Goal Complete: **War Event complete (total score 18 600 WP)

**Reward:** +2*5XP per goal, +2PP upon completion  
**Bonus Reward:**+2*10XP, +1 Secondary Element Jutsu-Scroll  
**Hidden Reward: **+2*10XP, +1 Elemental Skill Book  
**War Event Reward:** +18*5XP, +3PP, +1 System Update]

**[Team Hatake** level up!  
**Kakashi** is now level 105_(+1lv)_/ **Naruto** is now level 77_(+2lv)_/ **Sasuke** is now level 77_(+2lv)_/ **Haku** is now level 77_(+2lv)_]

**[Global System update!**  
**Wardrobe System upgrade:** fuuinjutsu enhancement for weapon and equipment now available  
**Map System upgrade:** Teleportation to Home Base unlocked _(note that it can be used only once a week and the Home Base designed by a Teleportation Torii)_  
**Arena System upgrade:** Boss fights unlocked  
**Party System upgrade:** vocal chat is now enabled between all **Chaos** **Game** holders]

Yagami felt the change in **Chaos** **Game** acutely from Konoha – it was the first time she unlocked an game update since she'd become aware of her powers as a minor divinity of Chaos.  
The young goddess was rather surprised at the way her torrii had been been integrated by the older god's – no matter his size – powers, but it had given her an idea.  
She had in a way restrained herself – thinking like a mortal rather than the goddess she was. While doing anything she wanted nilly-wily was of course unthinkable, she had restrained her usage of godly powers to localized event, but the truth was – the whole planet was hers, just like it was Kaguya or Sarenhes', and **Chaos** **Game** was more than a simple tool to her now.  
Back in the days, she'd thought messing with the very coding of Second Life was so easy because it was a game – and in a way it was, because she was so use by now to Games being her medium... But she could now hack into the coding of the very world like others would a game.  
Behind her closed eyes – **Chaos** **Game** was a maelstrom of power, an intricate yet beautiful imbrication of multitude of seals and runes in every language she knew, and some she didn't yet understood all the same, glowing in the golden tone so unique to Chaos himself.  
Here and there, she could see a few strands of powers woven in different colors – she recognized Fate's Gift in a mysterious violet, the lighter green of Nature's favor, the dark, nearly black violet of Magic's benediction, her own emerald green touch of Death...  
And of course, her **Soul** **Sense** could guess that the strands flowing around were going toward the other gamers – but also toward the center of the planet itself, as of course, **Chaos Game** needed to be linked to something to function correctly.  
Before, she guessed, it must have been anchored within the Ley Lines themselves – in Hagaren, it had probably been the Elemental Current – and right now, it was Sen Chakra, but also...  
Herself.  
In retrospect, it wasn't that surprising – she was a goddess of Chaos too now, albeit not as powerful as Chaos himself – not to mention the whole system had to be linked to her primarily to adapt itself to unexpected situations. **Chaos** **Game** was also linked to the other primary players in a lesser proportion, for the same sake of adaptation...  
Her eyes widened as she realized that she could feel all those touched by Chaos thanks to the Nature Chakra that was after all everywhere – all the surviving Uzumaki, scattered across the land, a couple of them already with Inari and his team, the secondary players, added by all of them, and a few other Uzumaki.  
And even...  
This time, the surprise made her gasp, and open her eyes, releasing involuntarily the powers that had been swirling around her.  
"Done with light-show, _bambina_?" Ren teased  
"I was observing **Chaos** **Game's** inner working," she explained "it's really fascinating..."  
"And?"  
"I could even feel all the people tied to it." she explained "There is a group of them, primary players given their ties to the Game, probably a clan given that they were all related and living near each other..."  
"The Uzumaki have settled elsewhere?"  
"Not Uzumaki." she corrected him "Sinclair."  
The usually nimble jounin stumbled at that affirmation "you don't mean..."  
"The descendants of both Melania and Adrian." she nodded "Our first children." a smile "We should drop by Tsuki no Kuni when we can."

Kakashi's team arrived back in Konoha at the same time as Jiraya – as such everyone had soon been busy planning a going away party for Naruto.  
The blond, after a long time thinking, had also decided to extend some invitations to **Chaos** **Game** to keep in contact while he was away.  
Fuu had already been added by her bijuu, which meant only Yakumo was out of the loop in Inari's team, so he had added the young girl.  
Tsunade and Jiraya had been added to **Chaos** **Game,** and stunned – then the Senju Clan head had immediately exclaimed "This! This is how Sakura-chan became a true-blood Inuzuka!"  
"Wow she's taking to this like a natural..." said pinkette mused "I guess that's genius for you..."

¤.¤.¤

"You're one to talk." Inari answered with an amused smile "But it may be because of her Uzumaki blood..."  
"Speaking about that," Sasuke wondered "how does it work?"  
"Eh?"  
"Well the Uzumaki Inheritance. I mean it has obviously stayed with you for a thousand year, yet clearly it doesn't stay out of the family..."  
"It's got to do with understanding." Inari explained "When a child is old enough to know who he is, the Inheritance triggers if the child identifies as an Uzumaki or if he already knows about **Chaos** **Game**. Of course in either case, the child must hold the correct blood."  
"And while we may share our Inheritance, only Uzumaki, or Fate Chosen are ever Main-Player, in other words, true holder of the Inheritance that can pass it on to their descendants."

"Which also means that if someone with **Chaos** **Game** tries to turn against a Main-Player, they would loose access to it, and become unable to talk about anyone not a player about it. Even another Main-Player isn't immune to this effect as it's a mean to protect everyone." the Uzumaki Clan Head added with a somber face "That's something Kiri learned the hard way when they tried to brainwash some hostages."  
Yagami sighed – she hadn't known before the protection existed, as it had never been needed, but now she could feel it, and she was quite thankful to Chaos for the fail-safe.  
Neji and Lee had been the other two Naruto had chosen from their age group – while he had nothing against Chouji, Ino, Tenten or Shino, he quite simply wasn't as close to them as he'd grown to the two taijutsu specialist as he was a front-liner too, and as such had spent quite a bit of time training with them.

Guy had been added too – for one thing, no one could imagine adding Lee without him dragging his respected and beloved sensei in it as soon as he could, and of course, as strange as the jounin was he was a good friend of Kakashi.  
Finally, Naruto and Sasuke had unanimously agreed on inviting Iruka too – the chuunin had after all become a part of the everyday life of not only the Inuzuka Compound, thanks to Hana, but also, and rather unexpectedly, the Moon Compound too.  
By helping everyone in the basis of any and all skills he felt a good shinobi should know, he'd made a lot of friend – and as soon as people had realized he was an orphan, the fact that he was an adult had been ignored, both Clan and House as good as adopting him in their midst.

Yagami had mused about adding her three genin – and decided to sit on the decision for now, wanting to see first how the trio would evolve; but she had a good feeling about it...  
With that, the going away party had finally started – and soon, Naruto was on the road with Jiraya Sasuke had disappeared in the inner layers of the Anbu Headquarters as a new recruit, Kakashi and Ren taking up one more their role as main Anbu protection of the Hokage, Inari had hit the road with his team too, and Yagami was on the road to Suna with her own three minions.

In Suna, things had changed quite a lot since the last time she'd been there – with the stronger ties between the two Hidden Villages, the economy was faring better; Gaara and Shukaku no longer being blood-thirsty mad-men had finally been noticed and little by little, he was gaining trust among the village – first among the shinobi, but in time he hoped, with the villagers too.  
Kankuro had been rather grumpy, as the only one among his siblings not to have been promoted – and more importantly, Yagami had given the bijuu a body just like she already had for Kurama, Kagetsu and Chomei.

The tanuki had been overjoyed, and decided to start his life as a being with a real body of flesh and blood by going on a drinking spree.  
Fuki, Naoki and Tsukimaru had taken the thing rather in stride, just like the sand siblings – and rather than dampen the bijuu's mood, they'd instead decided to organize a picnic deep in the desert, far from any lifeforms.  
In the small oasis Gaara had directed them all to, both Kagetsu and Shukaku had been able to unleash a form far more powerful than they would usually near their village. The power – if there had been anyone to feel it – could be felt for miles around them.  
Yagami watched with pride as her three genin, after the first, and very natural, feeling of fear, had manage to overcome their instinctive reaction to realize that bar their powers, the other two were quite simply sentient beings.

Having encountered Fuu, and of course knowing Naruto helped – but all human would have a reaction of fear when the bijuu unleashed a large portion of their powers, just like it had been for daiyoukai back in the days.  
Soon, the two bijuu were satisfied from having stretched their chakra, and had taken a more reasonable size, Yagami started to give them advice about how to go about mastering the change from their True Form to a humanoid body.  
"Wait..." Tsukimaru was the one to ask at some point "does it mean you have a True Form too Yami-sensei? Since you've got tails?"  
"Right now," she explained the genin "I'm at about the level of a kage, and my body is that of a hanyou. I would need to become as powerful as a daiyoukai once more to even hope to unlock my True Form again."  
"Again?" Naoki asked

"Oh right, it's not particularly known outside of the Clan..." the Inuzuka realized  
"I'm a reincarnation of a daiyoukai from the old world."  
"Oh. Is that why you're so powerful?"  
"It's part of it, yes."  
After that – the genin had started to ask multiple question about the era of the Sage of the Six Path, and even of the times before, egged on by Kagetsu and Shukaku, who loved hearing again the stories they'd grown up with...

While she kept an eye on their consumption, the goddess didn't forbid her pupils from partaking in the enormous stocks of sake they had procured – a bijuu needed a lot before it could get even tipsy after all.  
Like most shinobi she did agree with the saying _"Old enough to kill, old enough to drink"_ . She was rather satisfied to note that they didn't go overboard, nor were stupid enough to try and compete with the bijuu or the jinchuuriki, who had an unfair advantage when it came to alcohol tolerance, just like herself.  
The party lasted nearly until dawn – and as soon as the genin and chuunin had finally fallen asleep, she felt the presence that had been pinging her senses for hours finally approach them.  
Shukaku didn't bother to move from his spot, leaning on a palm-tree and contently seeping his cup, a small smile on his muzzle as he looked at the three Sand Sibling he'd as good as adopted, the Hime-chan who'd raised him– and the moon, full, and more beautiful in his eyes than it had been in centuries.  
After all, why move when he was so comfortable – and the goddess was looking so relaxed as she looked toward the approaching presence.

¤.¤.¤

"I wasn't sure it was you at first..." a low voice commented – raw, as if it hadn't been used for a long time "I was told you died."  
"I did." she agreed "But I was sent back nearly immediately after reaching the Immortal Realms."  
"Ah," he understood "a new mortal body, that's why I didn't recognize you immediately."  
"I wondered." she agreed "But I didn't want to bother you, I know you were Deep Sleeping..." she tilted her head, noting that the other wasn't coming nearer "Speaking of it..."  
"I don't dare come nearer." he answer the unspoken question, blood red eyes flashing under the cowl of his long mantle "There are no more blood replenishing potions to save the people I could attack in my hunger."

She stepped forward, a smile on her lips "Don"t worry about it, I've got what is probably the fastest blood replenishing rate among the land."  
He wavered, already having taken half a step backward, yet desperately wanting to accept the offer – he had been sleeping for so long, just like she said, hadn't tasted the metallic and flowery liquid none of his kind could survive without.  
And well – he was the last of his kind on this planet, and had all forgotten – but the Moon Hime was from the old times too, and she remembered.  
She knew just as well as he did how significant this offer would have been in the old days.

"Blood to blood, life to life, powers be shared." a smile, words that were already old-fashioned when the world ended, that had been forgotten in this new age "You are already mine, Sarenhes, surely you already realize it?"  
And it was this affirmation that finally broke his hesitations – and the vampire stopped holding himself back, tackling the white-haired goddess to the ground in a move so fast even the bijuu couldn't see it. The two beast's keen senses immediately catch the scent of blood, but despite their natural apprehension they kept calm.  
After all, neither Blanche nor Padfoot had intervened, both familiar, from their post watching upon the sleeping genin simply raising their head to keep watching, but not making a move to stop what was happening.  
They couldn't say how long it lasts – an eternity?

Yagami knew that no one but her would have survived her fellow god's rampage – as part of her mind focused on increasing her regeneration rate, even drawing on Kagetsu's powers for the first time, the fox feeling the tug and granting her free access – the other part of her mind was already thinking about how to resolve the situation.  
In everyday life, vampire, especially one as ancient as Sarenhes, didn't do something as uncouth as bleeding dry their prey or donor – but after a Deep Sleep, after having slept centuries to forget about the world around, no vampire could resist the call.  
Back in the days, they had solutions – spells to preserve blood in their resting place, or generations of guardians keeping watch for their awakening if they lacked the magic necessary to kept the potions fresh...  
It was different now, of course, vampire hadn't been seen on the planet since the disaster – they were among the species that never came back at all from Gaia precisely because of how complicated their sustenance would be among the unsuspecting people that now inhabited the world.

Finally, she can feel the other finally regain his senses, step away with a bit of a blush – after all, it was rather embarrassing for a vampire as old as him to lose so completely control of himself, even if he couldn't help it.  
Of course, Yagami didn't care – she did understand why it had happened, and better than someone who wouldn't have survived the ordeal.  
Saying as much gained a startled laugh from the other – but did agree.  
"So… now that I'm thinking a bit more more clearly…" he bows "Greetings. I'm Sarenhes Tohase, from the Land of Mu, an… old acquaintance from the Moon Hime." his head tilted as he eyed the two beasts, clearly curious "You feel… somewhat familiar." he admits  
"Sarenhes…." Yagami eyed her fellow deity with concern in her eyes "How long have you slept for not knowing…"

His clueless look is enough of an answer.  
"They were born from the powers of Kaguya… no. Of Xiao Dan."  
The tone in her voice was enough to make him realize that he'd missed quite a bit in his Sleep.  
"Xiao Dan power's? How? Why?"  
"She was the one who reawakened the new magic of the world." Yagami sighed "We call it chakra nowadays… But at that time, she was the only one with it."  
"An all powerful goddess." the man of a world older even than the old world whispered, guessing easily in how many ways it could be bad

"She fell to a dragon's obsession." the white-haired kunoichi sighed, having understood as much with time "Her obsession was peace, and she made all the planet her slave for it until she was stopped."  
"How?"  
"By sealing her powers and taking her body as far as possible."  
"It's not enough." the vampire knew  
"That's why I was sent back." Yagami admitted easily "A goddess, as mad as she is, could never be definitively stopped by mortals."  
With that, she proceeded to bring the Earth-bound god up to date with the last thousand years or so of History.

¤.¤.¤

The three genin had been a bit surprised to note there was on more person with them in the morning, but since their sensei seemed to know the man, they took it in stride – even if the man was really strange.  
For one, he was speaking in a really old-fashioned way – that is when he spoke, since he was rather silent most of the time. Then, there were his clothes, that were rather strange and old fashioned too – even if that had been easily corrected in Sunagakure.  
Most notable, the way he looked at the world around him – while the stranger was rather good at controlling his facial expressions, they were still shinobi, and all realized that the man seemed to be discovering the world around him anew.

"Is he… Another one of Orochimaru's test subjects?" finally asked Fuki as the shinobi team plus one was trekking back toward Konoha, the man surprisingly good at keeping up with them for a civilian  
"I'm not." the man himself answered, surprising her  
"Oh, you've got enhanced senses!" the girl realized "Sorry, I hadn't realized."  
Sarenhes waved away his concerns, but turned toward the goddess for guidance – she was the one who'd insisted he come with them after all, saying she could do something to help with his condition but preferred to attempt it at home.  
"He's someone from my previous life."

At that, all three genin stumbled in surprise, gaining mocking yips from the three nin-ken with them – all three sent withering glares at their jounin-sensei, somehow knowing she'd timed the revelation to a moment they were tree-running just for the fun of it.  
"How is it possible?" Naoki asked – Tsukimaru didn't, as the one of the three who had a rather good idea about how it was possible  
"By sleeping for a long time." she answered with a candid smile "About a thousand years of sleeping, give or take a few decades, I'd say…" she mused  
"Oh. So are you a youkai from the old world?" Fuki asked  
"Er… Not quite…"

"He's from a species called Vampires." Yagami answered, amused at the surprised look Sarenhes was sending her – he wasn't quite used to not having to hide his true self from non-magical people, and hadn't yet learned to take the shinobi for the new form of magical society like she considered them herself "He needs sentient blood to survive," she explained "and it gives him physical abilities on par with a regular shinobi."  
"Uh, that's why you're keeping up with us without chakra." Tsukimaru mused, having wondered about it like her fellow genin  
The other nodded with a bemused smile at the easy acceptance.

Seeing one more person than they'd left with in the team as they entered the office, Tsunade and Hiruzen shared a glance, the current Hokage's hand already creeping toward the Secrecy Seals.  
"So, brat." she asked when the white-haired goddess didn't make any attempt to stop her and the chakra flare around them had sealed the room, and the genin had been debriefed and freed to leave "What kind of headache are you bringing back this time? Another long lost child? A new clan unheard of yet? A deity reborn?"  
"Not reborn…" Yagami interrupted her  
The village leader finally gave in, banging her head against her desk one time, before raising her head, suddenly looking the picture perfect image of a Hokage "Greetings, I'm Senju Tsunade, Godaime Hokage of Konohagakure."

"I'm Tohase Sarenhes," the god introduced himself, rather amused at the scene as he could feel no ill intent from anyone "please pardon any inconvenience I've caused…"  
"Don't worry about it, I blame Yagami-chan, it's usually the best bet. What brings a deity to our village?"  
"Honestly, I don't know." he admitted "Tsuki-hime… That is… Yami-hime… was the one to tell me to come."  
"Oh right, I haven't explained." the girl realized, making Tsunade roll her eyes "It's just that I need to heal him, and it would work best in my Sanctuary I think?"  
"Heal me?" "Heal him?" two voices parroted at the same time  
"Well, it's like I said, Sarenhes wasn't reborn. If you remember what I told you…"

Frankly – she had only mentioned it conversely, but since it had to do with biology the Senju hime had of course noted the strange detail…  
"Chakra! People of the old world didn't have a chakra system."  
"Precisely." she nodded "At that time there was nothing I could do about it, but since then I've been granted new powers."  
"Powers strong enough to neutralize a mad goddess…" Tsunade half-whispered "I guess they would be strong enough even to grant something new to a god?"  
Yagami nodded, eyes gleaming gold and green – as for Sarenhes, he was stunned by the affirmation.

"Tsuki-hime…" he protested, new name forgotten in the moment "Something like this… I couldn't possibly be risk-free for you…"  
"It isn't." she agreed "But Sarenhes, it's like I said." a smile "You're mine, why shouldn't I heal you?"  
The man looked like he wanted to protest – but wasn't given the time, as a new voice interrupted "Wow, Sarenhes of Mu. Talk about a face I hadn't seen in an eternity."  
"Ryoichi-dono." the man recognized despite the new face – now than he knew the man had been reborn here too, it was impossible not to recognize him, especially since they'd all spent so much time working together when they were busy saving the magical world  
"Ah Ren, perfect timing." Yagami smiled as she naturally stepped to greet her mate, the man leaving a kiss on her temple rather naturally "Tell Sarenhes to stop being stubborn he doesn't want to let me heal him."

"The danger…"  
"Do you really think you can argue against her?" Ren asked the other man pointedly  
Sarenhes sighed, hands going up in surrender - if even her mate was ganging against him, there was no way he would be winning this argument after all "Of course not."  
"Well, seems like there's nothing life-changing for the village right now." Tsunade mused with a satisfied sigh "I'll prepare some paperwork for you Yagami-chan, shall I sent a guest form or a clan one?"  
"A clan one."  
"Of course." the Hokage agreed, clearly not surprised, before adding toward the latest god in time "Take it from my experience… The stubborn girl won't hesitate to do stupidly dangerous things to help people. The faster she's healed you, the faster you'll be able to help her in whatever way to prevent her from doing too many dangerous things."

The other seemed to consider her words – and was clearly agreeing with her opinion if his thoughtful face was to be believed.  
"Why is everyone always acting like that?" Yagami protested as they left the office, making her mate laugh  
"Because they underestimate how much Luck and Fate likes you of course!"

¤.¤.¤

If people tended to be surprised by the fact Ren was never the one worrying the worst about his mate – what no one realized was that given how long they'd been together, he knew her best.  
While the goddess never hesitated to make risky move that could coast her her health when she was taken by time, she was also intelligent enough to take the time to prepare when she could, not diving head-first into a risky godly action without taking all the precaution possible when time wasn't a problem.  
As such – as much as she wanted to help her fellow god as possible, as remembered how horrible it had been to be cut from her powers, she wouldn't be healing Sarenhes in a day or two, something she'd explained the man – who'd been reassured once she'd assured him of that much.

After all – even if he really yearned to be free once more to use his powers, he didn't want it to be at the coast of the other deity's health.  
A few batches of paperwork later, Sarenhes had become the only civilian member of the House of Moon, and was given an introduction to fuuinjutsu by Inari, who'd just come back from his own mission – and taking to it like a fish to water, easily understanding how judicious use of it could be used just like a ritual of old, mitigating the negative effects of the Godly Powers when used int the Mortal Realms.  
Even if this new world was still a bit strange for Sarenhes, he was adapting to it little by little, attention caught by how different chakra was from magic, even if he couldn't use it – and how the world had changed accordingly to the ways of wielding this powers the new humans had found.

This – wasn't a dead world anymore, nor one on the edge of Chaos, no, while he'd slept humanity had thrived, and it was rather admirable to realize for the vampire.  
Days turned into weeks and months as the vampire got used – first to the Moon Compound, then to Konohagakure itself, even striking a not so unexpected friendship with Shikaku, the intelligent jounin commander rather laid-back personality and his passion for Go founding their double in the age god vampire.  
"Alright, we're about done with the ground work." Yagami smiled happily "With this I should be able to heal you without too much back-lash!"

"After the Exam, Yami-hime." Sarenhes admonished the young goddess calmly - as much as he was considered civilian, he still lived among enough shinobi to have learne much about them "I can wait another month, and we can't take everything into account. Imagine how disappointed your genin would be if you were too ill to take them to Iwagakure. Besides, you've got people to help there too, if I'm not mistaken?"  
Yagami frowned – but had to admit the other was right.  
"Wow, I can't believe you've won an argument about that against mother…" an impressed Inari mused, the red-head having been studying intently a map covered in annotations in the library they were holed in for their research

The comment provoked a full blown pout from his mother this time – making him laugh – and protested "I'll have you know I can be perfectly reasonable, kit. I've even managed to have Tsunade lent me Sasuke and Anko for when we'll be ready. Besides, you're hardly one to talk, if I hadn't stopped you, you'd have used your powers to track the Uzumaki without any precautions!"  
Inari winced at that – his mother wasn't wrong after all… Time to change the topic to something that was less susceptible to turn against him!  
"So, who's going for this session of the Exam beside us?"  
"No one." Yagami rolled her eyes "Which you'd known if you had attended the last planning session!"  
"Uh? Why?"

"Well it's the first time in years we're even sending teams to Iwa, to be honest even the shinobi Council was a bit wary of sending to many people, even if our relations have drastically improved these days…" a shrug "Apparently even the old Fence Sitter isn't devious enough to try and go against a goddess, who knew?" she laughed mischievously at that  
"Right, since the relation between the Hokage and him were rather genial between the Hokage and him during the last two exams, I'd forgotten about the bad blood since I was still in exile went it hapened…." Inari mused "I guess it makes sense not to sent too big a delegation then. So just the two of us and our teams?"  
"Nope, Kagami will be the Diplomatic Envoy."  
"Stacking power-house in case anyone decides to be stupid." the Uzumaki guessed easily "Well, should be fun!"  
"That and let me slip away if needed." his mother shamelessly admitted "There's two jinchuuriki in Tsuchi no Kuni after all."

There was only one thing left to do before leaving for Iwagakure – about a week before their departure, Kagami, Inari and both genin teams had been invited to spend the week-end in the Moon Compound and Tsukimaru, Naoki and Fuki were introduced to **Chaos** **Game**.  
While she knew her genin didn't necesarilly need it – they were going into a rather hostile territory, and as such she wanted to give them every advantage reasonably possible…

After all – Oniki himself may know what she was, and knew better than to cross her needlessly, there were still numerous shinobi in Iwa that still resented Konoha for their loss in the Third Shinobi War, handed nearly single-handedly by the Yellow Flash.  
The week-end had been spent familiarizing the three latest players with **Chaos** **Interface**, and making them set a permanent Recall Point to the Moon Torii.  
And finally – they were on the road to Iwa.  
They had barely entered Tsuchi no Kuni, and were looking for an inn to stop for the night, when Yagami had tilted her head, as if listening to something only she could hear.  
Kagetsu and her shared a glance, and the bijuu left.

¤.¤.¤

She came back several hours later, followed sedately by a tall, heavily armored shinobi wearing an Iwa hitai-ate.  
The genin eyed him curiously, but seeing as all three jounin were calm, carried on eating around the secluded table they'd secured in the village's inn they were spending the night in.  
"So… I'm Han from Iwagakure. A friend told me to come." he announced calmly, taking place in the empty chair Yagami had pushed toward him "To see a… Tsuki-hime?"  
"My current name is Hatake Yagami." the white-haired jounin answered "But I'm whom you are looking for."  
"Are you…" he eyed warily the rest of the shinobi around the table "Like me ?"

"A jinchuuriki?" she shrugged "Not quite, she pointed to Kagetsu "We don't have any seal between the two of us after all."  
The Iwa shinobi was startled to see no reaction at the surprising proclamation from the rest of the table.  
"Er… Kokuo… Asked to see you?"  
"Not here." Inari sighed before his mother could stretch her hand toward the tall shinobi "Kokuo's chakra flaring would terrify the whole village."  
The Iwa shinobi was rather startled "You know…"  
"Kokuo's name. Of course." a shrug "He's as good as a brother after all…"  
The man tilted his head in the same way most jinchuuriki unconsciously did when listening to their bijuu "He agrees…" he announced, clearly more and more intrigued "Shall we find some place safer?"

Yagami nodded, her plate empty, and turned toward her fellow Konoha jounin "We'll get out of town, take care of the children." a wink  
"Of course dear." Kagami answered without missing a beat, making Inari roll his eyes  
"Or we could simply go in our room, where I could raise some wards while you do your thing." the Uzumaki suggested  
"Uh. Making me take a foreign man to my room, what would your father say, kit?" Yagami teased, before tilting her head toward the jinchuuriki, clearly leaving the matter up to him – after all, the Iwa shinobi could feel reluctant to lock himself up alone with nine Konoha shinobi, no matter how powerful as he was

And clearly – he was hesitant – but another comment from his bijuu must have been heard, as he nodded his agreement.  
Since the plates were empty by now, the party of ten went up the stairs to the large room they'd rented for the night, Yagami explaining "We'll have to go to your mindscape to meet Kokuo, so we have to be touching, just a hand is enough, and it would be enough to be comfortably installed… You know how time can be when inside your mind."  
The other nodded – he did know, and sat cross-legged on the bed the white-haired girl was indicating with an elegance rather surprising for such a large frame.  
He felt powerful wards go up – then a little hand slipped into his, and green eyes were all he saw…  
"Hime-chan! You came back!"

It was the first time he heard so much joy – so much life – in his bijuu that was usually so calm and collected, Han mused as he opened his eyes to his landscape…  
The young jounin was indeed in in his mindscape, nine-tailed fox in tow, Han noticed – and there were six fluffy tails waving lazily in her back.  
Kokuo's shape blurred, the tall beast shrinking to a more manageable size to jump in the Konoha girl's arms.  
"So…"  
"Oh, sorry." Yagami flushed a bit – so happy she was to be reunited with one more of the siblings, she had nearly forgotten about the confused jinchuuriki, so calm was he "Like I said, I'm Hatake Yagami. But I used to be Taishou Tsukiko, back when the bijuu were young." a smile "I've reincarnated, and when I realized what had had happened to them, I promised myself to find a way to free them…"  
"That would kill us."  
"I know." she confirmed "I'm still looking for a way that wouldn't kill the humans to freed the bijuu, but I did find something that could still help in the meantime."  
"She's given us a body!" the nine-tailed addressed directly his sibling – and Han, who knew his tenant rather well, could see how stunned the kirin was

The genin had long since gone to sleep when Han and Yagami emerged from the Iwagakure shinobi's mindscape hours later, and Inari had gone into a light medation trance to rest without bringing down his barrier, while Kagami oppened an eye as they moved "How was your kid, little shadow?" he greeted with a smile  
The girl didn't protest the word Han was amused to note – and while Kokuo had never called her as such during their talk inside his mind, the way they acted was rather telling he realized.  
With that, the decision he was playing with was done.  
A surge of chakra let as small Kokuo out, the kirin's eyes wide at the strange sensations of possessing a body for the first time, while he assessed "I guess you're heading toward Iwa for the Exam?"

"Indeed." Kagami confirmed "You will travel with us?"  
"I will." he agreed, rather impressed at the other's insight  
And if he forgot to dismiss Kokuo back to his mind before settling for the night, despite the small drain on his chakra – nobody complained about it, the little Kirin curled between three canine and a young white-haired girl least of all…  
The chuunin guarding the gate were eyeing the Konoha delegation with mistrust – but even moreso, they were clearly wondering why they were escorted by a shinobi as famous as Han.  
As for the jinchuuriki, used to the mix of awe and fear his presence usually caused, he ignored their reaction as he followed the two teams toward the Tsuchikage's tower.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite tree-hugger!" Onoki greeted them with an amused smile at Yagami "Did you miss me so much that you just had to come in town?"  
"Well I did promise to visit." the little jounin greeted back with a sweet smile "And look I even found a friend on the road!"  
"I can see." he greeted his shinobi with a nod "So, do I want to know why you're going around meeting all the jinchuuriki?" he wondered  
"Besides warning them about the nut-jobs after their hide?" she nodded in the direction of her half of kyuubi "Well, here is Kagetsu… You've met last time, but he was in a form far less convenient."  
The Tsuchikage's eyes widened at that – after all, there was only fox he'd seen last time they had met… He turned toward Han, the other guessing easily at the question in his eyes, and going through the hand-signs of kuchyose as an answer.

The five-tail was – surprisingly cute, Onoki mused, not having ever thought he would attribute this term to the gigantic beast of destruction.  
"Greetings, I am Kokuo. It is a pleasure to finally see you in the flesh."  
And polite.  
He answered to the presentation in kind more by habit than anything else, as he was still rather stunned.

"The bijuu are sentient beings like you and I, and should never have been jailed." Yagami said, knowing he was wondering about the _why_ "I can't yet free them completely, but I can at least make their life easier." an amused smile "But don't doubt about it… They'll be free eventually, whatever the shinobi world wants to say about it, and you'll have to be the ones convincing if you still want to work with them." despite her smile, he noted, her eyes were hard and cold "Never again will the children of the Sage of the Six Paths be used as prisoners and weapon of war without their consent."  
Children of the Sage.

The sentence echoed in his head, and he turned toward the two beast…  
Kokuo was the one to nod in confirmation.  
"Of course." he agreed politely, as if his world view hadn't been turned upside-down once more by the Konoha jounin – but well, he knew how to negociate with hmans, he could learn to deal with bijuu "Well… If you are staying around you could guide them around the city?" he suggested to Han  
The other agreement silently, taking the usual package indicating where the Konoha contingent were to be lodged and what training ground they could access – after all it was common sense for foreign shinobi to be supervised when in another village.

"The schedule for the diplomatic meetings are in there too." he said to Kagami – then after an hesitation, he added toward Yagami "Roshi has been spotted in the Kaisengan mountain range a few days ago."  
A bright, thankful smile was his answer.  
How strange, he mused as the Konoha shinobi left, Han in tow – that Death could be so adorable. Even his own grand-daughter wasn't as cute! Not that he'd ever used the word in front of said grand-daughter in a sentence concerning her, she'd probably try to murder him.

¤.¤.¤

Speaking of murder…  
He winced as the door of his office was thrown open, a furious whirling bursting in the room "Why the fuck are there Konoha trash in the city?"  
Feeling the head-ache that had been threatening him ever since Yagami had arrived finally blossomed, he sighed.  
"Hello to you too, Kurotsuchi-chan my dear grand-daughter, how are you? I'm a bit busy organizing the Chuunin Exam… Something I'm pretty sure you know, so mind your tone!"  
The pink eyes glaring at him were furious – not that he didn't know why.

"Those murderous bastards have nothing to do here!" he she frowned, the anger changing for something else – somewhere between sadness and confusion "You've changed, ojii. First, you send our genin to Konoha and get stuck in an invasion, and now you let them come here…"  
"I… Have been reevaluating some of my choices as leader of our village, and came to the conclusion that preserving the peace with Konoha was for the best for Iwakagure."  
"Why?"  
He hesitated a moment – what he'd witnessed wasn't something she'd understand without proof, and he'd rather she never had to feel the powers he'd seen Yagami display, because it would probably be in dire circumstances…

"It's time for things to change in Iwa… That is something you'll have to understand on your own." he finally settle on answering "But remember… They may have killed many of ours… This was a war, and even if we didn't kill as many… That's only because we lost." this was something he'd never said to her he realized, as he pointed out seriously "That the loss you've had, I've had, many of them endured too. I may have lost my son of the battle-field, I've also made quite a bit of fathers in Konoha lose their own children."  
Her eyes widened at the affirmation – and she looked ready to protest but he raised his hand to silence her.

"Don't keep grudges for us old folks, judge them as individuals, not simply based upon their origin."  
"I don't want to!"  
"I know." a smirk "This is precisely why I'm assassinating you as the second jounin on duty to keep an eye on them."  
"You old fucker!"  
He laughed as she grabbed the mission order and stormed out – he'd seen Yagami perform miracles already, maybe she would even to heal his grand-daughter's bitterness...

"Move kid."  
Inari eyed the girl, wearing the hitai-ate of a Iwa jounin, that he'd just opened the door to.  
"Seeing as I'm one of the jounin in charge and you haven't announced why you're here." he answered coldly, the contrast with his youthful appearance startling "I'm going to have to refuse. Identify yourself."  
"I'm you fucking baby-sitter, that's what I am, fucking brat!"

"Baby-sitter?" he eyed he with disdain "That's what you need, not us, but I'm going to guess Onoki-san didn't anyone left to spare if he had to send someone lacking even the basics of polite behavior."  
"Don't drag ojii-san into this!"  
"Ojii-san?" he winced "Oh dear, the poor man."  
"Inari, who are you playing with?" a female voice called from further away in the diplomatic lodging

"Our second guard I'd say." the red-head answered "Onoki-san send his grand-daughter."  
"Well, why isn't she in yet?"  
"She was insulting me, I was answering in kind."  
"Oh. Don't let me bother you then, continue flirting."  
The affirmation made Kurotsuchi sputter and finally force the passage "Why would I want to flirt with some bastard from Konoha?"

"What's your problem with Konoha?" Fuu wondered – after all she really enjoyed the village she'd recently became a part of  
"What my problem with Konoha? Oh I don't know, may the fact they are hypocritical murderous bastards?"  
"That's rich coming from someone from Iwa." the red-head mused, a bit of bitterness seeping in his tone – while he understood that keeping grudge wasn't very reasonable in the shinobi world, it was still hard to let some things go  
"We aren't the one who sent a man to murder an army!" she answered heatedly  
"No, you're not. You are the one who destroyed my village." Inari shot back just as fast

The affirmation stopped the girl's anger in it's tracks.  
"What…"  
Inari empty laugh was too old for the face he was sporting right now, Yagami mused as she dragged her kit on the bed "She doesn't even know…" he said, voice drained "She comes to accuse us of murder, and she doesn't even know the story of her village…"  
"Uzushiokagure." Kagami was the one to say to the stunned girl, that hadn't expected this reaction "This is the name of the village your grand-father lead a joined assault against, with Kumo and Kiri, thirty years ago, destroying them to the last child they could get their hands on." he informed her in a carefully blank tone – it wasn't his place to held grudges he knew, no matter how bitter he still felt about it  
Keeping grudges was just an endless circle in the shinobi world after all.  
Pink, confused eyes sough out the other Iwa nin present to look for something – a denial, maybe? All she got was a grave nod of confirmation.

The kunoichi's eyes widened, and she fled the room.  
"It's useless to held grudges as a shinobi." Inari was whispering despondantly, suddenly sounding even younger than he looked  
"It is." Yagami agreed  
"Then… Why am I still so angry?" he asked in a whisper  
"Because feelings aren't dictated by logic, and that girl talked without thinking."  
"I'll be angry just today." he promised in the arms of his mother "Tomorrow I'll be alright."  
"I know." she agreed

No one pointed out to Inari the fact he wasn't angry – he was sad – as they all let him cry in the arms of his mother.  
With an eye on the two jounin, Kagami gathered the six genin in silence and they left them to grieve, Han in tow.  
Just like he'd promised – Inari was alright the next day, or at least he put up a remarkable act of being alright, even if all knew him well enough to realize his eyes were a bit less bright than usual, his jokes a bit more forced.  
The genin were ready to be angry at the stupid Iwa girl who'd put the red-head in this state – but between Han explaining to them that she was one of the orphans of the Third Shinobi war, and the girl's own state the next day they hadn't managed to.

Because if Inari was trying to hide that he wasn't alright – Kin Kurotsuchi wasn't quite as skilled at pretending, and if she hadn't apologized for her behavior the day before when she came back, the dark circles under her eyes and the shadows in the pink depths were enough of an indication of her state of mind.  
Day by day, the confrontation was put to the side – and day by day, Inari had gone back to usual anoying self, while Kurotsuchi had grown confortable enough around the Konoha contingent to start letting them see a bit of her true temper…

¤.¤.¤

By the time the first task of the Exam started, if she wasn't friend with them – Kurotsuchi had at least gained a real respect for the three jounin, and tolerated the genin, something she couldn't say for all the Iwa genin, as tended to look down rather easily on those she felt didn't put enough work into sharpening their skills and climbing the ranks.  
And maybe – maybe – she was starting to understand why her grandfather had told her it was time for things to change in the village…  
"Good luck, Konoha brats." she wished the six genin as they headed out toward the first meeting point  
"Well," Yagami mused as she stretched lazily while the six genin disappeared in a nearby building "all that's left is going to the monitoring room."

"So… This is usually the information gathering part of the exam." Naoki mused as the six of them entered the dark building "From what Sasuke-sama told me, they had to remember information about the other concurrent in Suna…"  
"And we all remember Yami-sensei and that scary guy from T&I's test…" Fuki added, her two team-mates nodding with an amused smile  
Yakumo and Fuu, the only two not to have participated in the Konoha Chuunin Exam, had still been told about it so they didn't contradict the dark red-head.  
The hour the test was suppose to start at had gone and gone by, and the multitude of genin team from Iwa, Suna, Konoha and quite a few small village were still milling about untended in the large dark room where they'd been hearded.  
Except…

"We're less than before." the Uchiha realized when nearly half an hour had gone by  
His affirmation make the other five eyes dart around – it wasn't noticeable yet, but there really were some teams not present anymore, a subtle genjutsu having hidden to them the dwindling number until now.  
"There must be a way to get out of here then." Karin deduced "The test had already started."  
Fuu, her senses enhanced thanks to Chomei, and Tsukimaru's canine senses noticed the next disappearance at the same time.  
"So apparently there are secret passage hidden all around the room…" the Inuzuka understood

"And is there a right or wrong passage?" Fuki wondered, eyes darting around the room "Uh… There must be…"  
"Seals." Naoki confirmed  
Indeed, all the passages were marked, nearly unnoticeably, with seals. All of them turned toward Fuki, who was already analyzing the nearest one.  
"So there are about half of those that are paralyzing seals like the prisoner tags, and while freeze anyone passing through." she said after a while "As for the remaining, half of them are gravity seal, that while make your body about 50% heavier and the last ones are chakra regeneration seal."  
"So the last one then?" Fuu asked

"Except," Tsukimaru was the one to contradict her "that you can't use your chakra when under a regeneration seal. That's why it's mainly used in healing."  
"Precisely." the fuuinjutsu expert agreed  
"Well chakra seal it is then."  
The three of them chose the nearest passage with the correct seal, and found themselves in a tunnel cut into the stone, going down toward the mountain's heart.  
"Still, talk about a hardcore exercise, there aren't a lot of shinobi who knows as much about fuuinjutsu as that at our level…" Fuu mused as they progressed slowly, disabling quite a few traps along the way  
"Except they weren't really difficult seals, so even without being able to decipher them, any medic-nin would have recognize the regeneration seal, gravity seal are used by quite a few taijutsu specialists… The only one no genin really have a reason to know is the prisoner seal, but well there always is a part of luck in the exam…"

"Not bad." Baki mused from the control room – the Sand shinobi had come with only one team this time, Kankuro among them "I mean for the Uzumaki to use seal was par for course, but a civilian girl…"  
"Yeah Fuki has progressed nicely." Yagami agreed "Naruto was the one who started to teach her first, but she's really taken to it."  
"Still," an Iwa jounin commented "as skilled as she is, brain wont be enough for the next part of the exam."  
The white-haired girl smiled "Ah but I didn't say fuuinjutsu was her specialty, did I?"

After all – while she was progressing surprisingly fast, revealing her brain she hadn't ever used during her Academy days… Just like Naruto, Fuki was first and foremost a survivor.  
"Still," Inari mused "I'm a bit disappointed." he admitted, "I thought Yakumo would have caught onto the disappearances first…"  
The Uzumaki wasn't wrong, Yagami had to admit – while she was proud of Naoki, as much as the Uchiha were good with **genjutsu**, the Kurama were quite frankly better.  
But – while she was probably the best of the genin when it came to genjutsu, Yakumo also had had quite a bit to catch up with all of the other shinobi knowledge, and hadn't been a genin for that long.

The passage they'd taken, the two teams soon realized wasn't simply a tunnel – no, this was a full fledged Labyrinth.  
"You know," Karin was the one to point out after nearly three hours "we've already signed our waivers."  
"Yeah," Naoki agreed, having come to the same conclusion as the red-head "we've probably started the second test of the Exam."  
"The hosting village can organize the exam however they want after all, as long as they tests us on the right things." Tsukimaru added "And changing things up a bit to rattle us and weed out a bit more contestants isn't that usual…"  
"Well. We're lucky to have chosen the gravity seals rather than the chakra ones then." Fuuki mused "Because it means we're probably going to encounter others teams sooner or later."

"I think they must be the second to realize that aren't from here." one jounin sensei mused  
"And the gaki from Iwa only realized because they know about the Labyrinth." Baki pointed out "My team realized because they asked me about my own Exams, it's only pure luck I was promoted in Iwa."  
Indeed – just like the genin had realized, the shinobi put in charge of staging the Exam had decided that not saying anything and dropping all the contestant right into the deep end was going to be part of the exam.  
Even if they didn't know it – once the time for the Exam had come, a count-down had started, and all the genin still in the starting room one hour later were eliminated and had already been picked up by their jounin-sensei.

All the secret passage created by the **doton** users had been linked directly to the Labyrinth, the favorite training ground for the Exam in Iwa. And if the Labyrinth wasn't as naturally dangerous as the Forest of Death or the Demon Desert, it had it's own brand of hazards…  
The first difficulty was managing time underground – people that weren't used to progress without seeing the light of the sun to rhythm their days and night could soon loose any notion of time.  
The second difficulty – the multitude of traps, and some underground critters enhanced by chakra.  
The third difficulty was of course the other teams present – nothing had been said that forbid anyone to whittle down the competition after all.  
And finally – even if they reached the exit of the Labyrinth in time – as long as they didn't have the right key, they wouldn't be able to get out.

The two Konoha team eyed the large room they had stumbled in after nearly two days in the Labyrinth.  
In those two days – they'd met a team from Ishigakure than had attacked head on. Dispatching them hadn't been difficult.  
On the other hand the other team they'd stumbled on had been far more dangerous – three genin from Kumogakure, with two sword and **raiton** user and a rather competent medic nin, the team while unbalanced, was also very skilled.  
But the real problem was that just like them, they'd teamed up with another team from their village…  
The second Kumo team, with a taijutsu specialist, ninjustu expert peculiarly good at **suiton** jutsu and finally, a sword and katon user, was far less seasoned, but skilled nonetheless, and finally after a lengthy fight all had decided to retreat as they were getting nowhere.

"Uh. So able to resist the enemy, but not stubborn enough to not know when it's time to retreat uh."  
"Trust the tree-huggers to be the first to run away." a Kumo jounin mocked  
"They were right." Kurotsuchi pointed out while rolling her eyes "Or did you want you team to be eliminated? Because that's what would have happened if they had pushed the fight!"  
"Bullshit! My genin are more than skilled enough to get rid of a few cockroaches!"  
"Your team was the weakest out there." his fellow Kumo jounin, a blond girl looking rather similar to one of said genin, contradicted "And if the fight had continued any long, all the genin would have tired out and all four teams would have ended up out of the Exam."  
With that she turned he back to the man, eyes on the screen once more.

The six Konoha genin had carefully made their way toward the center of the heavily trapped room, Fuki proving to all that fuuinjustsu wasn't the only thing she'd learned from Naruto.  
On a heavy stone pedestal covered with a simple linen fabric, a large iron engraved key was resting.  
"So given the amount of traps around this thing, I guess it is important." Yakumo pointed out "I've already dropped half a dozen **genjutsu** that were hiding it after all…"  
"There's a seal on the socle." Naoki informed them, sharingan spinning slowly "hidden under the fabric."  
He started to describe it – and Fuki to analyze it.  
Surprisingly, it was Yakumo that recognized the seal first, and complained about it, uncharacteristically loud for the rather shy girl.

"Sharingan cheaters." an Iwa chuunin that was part of those that had organised the exam mumbled despondently "I was sure no one would see this one! I was so looking forward to a genin activating it! And how the hell did they recognize was it did so easily!"  
"You're the one that did this seal?" Yagami asked, approval clear in her voice "That's upper-journeyman level!"  
The affirmation surprised everyone around them she noticed – even the man's fellow Iwa nin – and one mumbled "You mean those annoying things are actually good?"  
"Nobody respects my art!" said chuunin dramatically complained

"Not everyone appreciate a prank well done." Inari commiserated with him "I mean even my my cute minions… er… genin… don't seem to understand the genius of a color-changing seal…"  
"It's not they don't appreciate your genius." Yagami corrected, mirth clear to all in her voice "It's spending a week with blue skin and bright orange hair because of a similar seal they didn't appreciate."  
The affirmation made everyone laugh – but quite a few of the jounin were eyeing the Iwa chuunin with more respect in their eyes.  
Blue skin and orange hair may be annoying – but use the same seal, but with more regular color…  
And suddenly you had a perfect spying seal.

Key obtained, team 12 and 15 of Konoha had eventually found their way out of the Labyrinth – right in the middle of a large stone arena, where three teams from Iwa were already waiting.  
They were joined over the next two days by the team from Suna, Kankuro, Arata and Takashi greeting them amicably and finally by the two teams from Kumo they'd already fought against.  
"Congrat's on getting out of the Labyrinth alive, brats." Onoki announced as the genin were assembled, making quite a bit sweat-drop "You're all supposed to know what the Exam truly are about by now, and if you don't ask your sensei!"

This time a few of the Iwa jounin did roll their eyes, safely in his back.  
"Anyway, you must not be too incompetent given how many are left, but I really don't care so there won't be any preliminary round. So come forward, draw a number and get out of my hair!"  
With that – just like instructed the genin quickly drew their lot, deciding on the first round of the tournament that would be held in a month – that part of the Exam apparently they hadn't changed, and they were all reuniting with their jounin-sensei.  
"Ready for training?" Yagami and Inari asked in the same sing-song voice, making their genin pale

* * *

**[Yagami **/ Age 8(14) / Level 101  
**Physical Main Stat 128(218): **Strength 36(68) / Agility 71(118) / Endurance 21(32)  
**Spiritual Main Stat 155(232):**Intelligence 62(95) / Will 37(51) / Wisdom 56(86)  
**Social Main Stat 112(192): **Presence 21(32) / Perception 52(90) / Luck 39(74)  
**Secondary Stat: **  
Health Points 340(564) / HP regen/min 3,44(6,42) / Chakra Points 745 / CP regen/min 8,37  
Damage 46,5(91,3) / Defense 25,5(47,6) / Reaction Speed 56(92,2)  
Chakra control 43,4(65,4) / Chakra Density 42,7(67,7) / Mind Speed 60,2(92,3)  
Critic Chance 22,6(58,9) / Critic Damage Multiplier 18,1(67,6), Loot Bonus 38(68,8)]

**[Tsukimaru**/ Age 12 / Level 63  
**Physical Main Stat 85(97): **Strength 28(34) / Agility 37(43) / Endurance 20(20)  
**Spiritual Main Stat 98(107):**Intelligence 45(51) / Will 26(26) / Wisdom 27(30)  
**Social Main Stat 55(76): **Presence 14(14) / Perception 23(38) / Luck 18(24)]  
**[Naoki**/ Age 12 / Level 62  
**Physical Main Stat 85(106): **Strength 27(33) / Agility 41(56) / Endurance 17(17)  
**Spiritual Main Stat 90(102):**Intelligence 39(48) / Will 22(22) / Wisdom 29(32)  
**Social Main Stat 63(69): **Presence 22(22) / Perception 26(32) / Luck 15(15)]  
**[Fuki**/ Age 12 / Level 62  
**Physical Main Stat 85(106): **Strength 35(47) / Agility 34(40) / Endurance 16(19)  
**Spiritual Main Stat 96(102):**Intelligence 34(34) / Will 36(42) / Wisdom 26(26)  
**Social Main Stat 55(58): **Presence 14(14) / Perception 23(26) / Luck 18(18)]

**[Fuu**/ Age 15 / Level 71]  
**[Yakumo**/ Age 12 / Level 47]  
**[Karin**/ Age 16 / Level 49]


	13. XII Fire and Death

**XII. Fire and Death**

Gaining an authorization to take the genin training in the nearby mountainous area wasn't too hard, the Tsuchikage giving them the authorization to move about as they wanted as long as they kept Kurotsuchi and Han with them, and of course didn't enter any forbidden area.  
While it wasn't usual by any measure for foreign shinobi to ask such freedom of movement during the Exam, it wasn't unheard of either, since different people used different training methods.  
Kurotsuchi had been rather intrigued – but a training trip was always a good occasion, that much the young kunoichi knew.

While the Kaisengan weren't particularly impressive compared to the gigantic mountains of the Land of Lightning, it had the particularity of being the siege of numerous volcanic episodes, which meant Onoki's grand-daughter knew very well the area, where she went quite a bit of time training for her **youton** jutsu.  
The change of landscape was good for the genin, all more used to the forests and lush areas of Hi and Taki no Kuni – not to mention that the lack of people around meant that the bijuu presents were free to stretch out a bit their body and chakra, something they couldn't do just anywhere.  
The girl had been startled to realize how many jinchuuriki there were presents, but calmed soon enough, unknowingly impressing the Konoha contingent that were getting more than used to the primal reaction of fear all people seemed to share when it came to the nine siblings.

What had really intrigued her was _why_ – why would Konoha nin, that while not at war weren't allied with her village, would so freely share the identity of their jinchuuriki.  
While they hadn't shared the whole truth with her – Kagami and Yagami had told her one part of the truth relevant for a shinobi loyal to her village like her: there were missing-nin after the nine beasts, and she had access to a method that would help them get stronger to defend themselves.  
Kkurotsuchi was intelligent enough to guess there was more to it – but between her talk with her grand-father when they'd arrived, and her own council, she knew that she wouldn't be told anything more; and that it was enough for her, at least for now.

Of course – the young goddess was keeping her senses out for the jinchuuriki supposed to be in the area, and had quickly realized that Onoki had been right to tell her to come here.  
But the man she hadn't seen yet felt strong and stubborn to her **Soul** **Sense**, so once she felt him take notice of their presence she didn't act immediately, instead keeping up with the training routine of the genin – and the more difficult exercise the jounin were doing, having decided quickly that there was no reason not to take advantage of the calm and time to train too.  
The man spent a few days spying on them from afar, impressing her with the way he managed to stay hidden despite the fact she knew it wasn't his forte – and she could feel his confusion, as it was rather rare for shinobi from different village to train together, then his shock as Chomei, Kokuo and Kagetsu were summoned and started to flare their chakra…

It took nearly ten days for the curiosity to finally win over stubbornness.  
"Han."  
"Roshi."  
The two greeted each other laconically, Han having noticed his fellow Iwa jinchuuriki a few days after Yagami – Fuu following soon after, the tailed-beasts able the feel each other's presence when in close vicinity, even if their partner tried to hide.  
"So… The bloody monkey has been raising up a storm in my mind the past few days." he mused, looking rather peeved "Impossible to even sleep!"  
"SonGoku always was just as loud as as Kurama." Kokuo was the one to answer calmly, adding as an after thought toward the fox "I like you much more as Kagetsu."

The affirmation made Kurotsuchi roll her eyes – she had been afraid of course at first, even if she'd kept a good hold on it. But working side by side with the bijuu had soon made her realize that behind the terrifying powers, they were sentient being, each with their character, their flaws and qualities…  
And even if Kokuo was clearly the more reasonable of the trio she knew – he also seemed to enjoy needling his siblings from time to time.  
"Why should I let the monkey have it his way?"  
"Well he's your partner, isn't he?" Fuu was the one to ask candidly

The word the girl had chosen startled the tall red-head – partner? He was more used to people choosing words like prisoner, burden or weapon when it came to the tailed-beast sealed within him.  
But clearly, the bright-eyed jinchuuriki didn't agree.  
Partner?  
He eyed the three pairs that had approached him – the friendship between the seven-tail and her host was impossible to miss, but there was also a quiet and content camaraderie between Han and his five-tail, and the last one…  
There was only on word to put on the feeling he could read in all the tailed-beasts eyed when they gazed upon the white-haired girl.  
Love.  
Not the romantic kind, of course – rather the limitless love only family members could share – and it was a feeling clearly returned by the little Konoha kunoichi.

¤.¤.¤

Roshi wasn't someone who trusted easily, no matter how much Yagami could feel he wanted to in this case.  
And going into your mindscape – that left your body free to be attacked.  
This is why she turned toward Kurotsuchi "You're going to take me hostage."  
The affirmation startle everyone, but she explained further "I need to go into Roshi's mindscape, and he needs to know we wont attack him." a smile "So for as long as we're in his mind, you'll be holding a kunai to my throat."  
Without much surprise, all the Konoha nin, Kagami and Inari first among them, looked like they strongly wanted to disagree – but all knew her well enough to know it would be useless.  
"It's a wonder Ren isn't already completely grey-haired." Kagami sighed, gesturing for the Iwa kunoichi to go ahead and do as she had been asked to

Clearly – while she understood the why, Kurotsuchi didn't like the situation anymore than them.  
Roshi's eyes widened, not having expected the proposal anymore than the others – but he inclined his head in silent thanks at the gesture, and soon, they were seated facing each other, the world was turning dark in a familiar way – and he was in his mind.  
For a moment, he thought the giant red monkey he was keeping away from the world would attack the girl.  
Instead, they embraced like family that hadn't seen each other's in a long while.

"You came back, Tsuki-hime."  
The chakra beast's voice was rough – not heavy with his usual arrogance, but sad yet happy, clearly still not believing in what he was seeing.  
"I did." she confirmed "I'm sorry for leaving."  
"Your body was breaking down." the other answer, a clear contradiction to her apology "You couldn't have stayed longer." the beast set his brow against her shoulder "And if you're back, it means dangerous time are upon us."

Her lack of answer was confirmation enough, Roshi realized.  
And when tailed-beasts were talking about danger, he couldn't help but shudder. How bad had things to be, for those beings as powerful as gods to be afraid?  
"Her body was taken away, and we have her powers… But her mind is still here." Kagetsu answered in stead of the young jounin "Has been here ever since, in the darkness, trying to make her whole again."  
"Trying to take back her powers and kill us in the same move." the intelligent primate understood easily enough

Roshi had to suppress a shudder.  
He'd left Iwa because the Third Shinobi War had been too much for him – and he was thankful that Onoki didn't make a move to call him home despite how important jinchuuriki were to their village, even if he would never admit it to the old Tsuchikage. But from what little he was guessing from what they were – and weren't – saying, this could be far worse.  
"Sorry for ignoring you." the white-haired girl apologized rather properly, making him huff in amusement  
"You were reuniting with you family." he answered, gaining a surprised look from her  
"I was." she agreed "You seem surprisingly tolerant of the bijuu for someone who doesn't listen to his own tenant." she mused

"Nobody knows better than a jinchuuriki that they aren't mindless beasts." he pointed out before shrugging "Nothing says we have to get along."  
"Nothing says we don't have to!" SonGoku retorted  
"See! Always disagreeing with me!"  
"But to survive?"  
"For that we'll work along." he admitted easily – he had no wish to die after all  
"Like always." the monkey completed

And so the girl told her of the thing working in the shadows – a thing that had assembled multiple S-rank missing-nin, with the aim of gathering the nin bijuu and reunite them.  
Which would not only destroy said bijuu's mind, but also kill their host when they were extracted.  
By the end of the talk, the white-haired girl had worked her magic, and they'd left his mindscape, letting the monkey reunite with his siblings present in the real world.  
By that time – he'd felt enough of her powers, like all the jinchuuriki, to know the Konoha kunoichi was in no way human.  
Even if he wouldn't admit it – it was rather humbling to see a goddess get out of her way to help them, at the coast of her own health, if the state she was in afterward was to be believed.

"She… wasn't as bad after changing Kokuo." Han half-stated half-asked in a low voice that evening, as the genin were sleeping  
"The gift she's using to grand a physical body to the bijuu isn't one she's had for long." the young Uzumaki jounin answered "And godly powers aren't meant to be used in the Mortal Realms… Using it two times in less than two weeks put a strain on her body."  
Understanding dawned in all three Iwa nin's eyes – and if the next day, they went out of their way to help the genin instead of the white-haired girl, well…  
There was no one to point it out.

¤.¤.¤

"It gives hope, doesn't it?"  
Roshi turned his head toward the dark-haired shinobi – Uchiha Kagami, a name that had already been but a legend when he'd became a shinobi. And while the man looked only in his thirties, and was allegedly said legend's descendant, there was a monkey in his mind affirming him he was older than he looked.  
"Shinobi from different villages working side by side peacefully." an amused smile "It was just the same in Suna once she all but adopted they jinchuuriki as a little brother." a shrug "It's rather paradoxical, for someone touched by Death to bring so much life around her… But fitting for us shinobi I guess."  
Roshi agreed before he'd even processed the words.

The other was right after all – was it really so surprising for people who lived in a deadly trade like they did to thrive under the attention of the goddess holding the cold and familiar feel of it?  
"But will it last?" he couldn't help but ask  
"Peace couldn't exist without war." the goddess herself was the one to answer, before adding with a smile "It doesn't mean we aren't allowed to strive for peace, as long as we don't become obsessed by it."

Somehow, they'd gotten into a routine in the mountain – everyone going about his own training during the day, all jounin freely helping the genin when they asked for it, and the evening, the young goddess and the bijuu telling tales of the era of the Sage, and even the Uzumaki talking about the Warring Clans era that had preceded the villages.  
It was surprisingly peaceful, for all that they were preparing for war.  
When the month ended, they weren't eleven but twelve heading back to Iwa for the Tournament.  
"I'm not staying along for long!" Roshi had warned the Tsuchikage, annoyed at how unsurprised the old man seemed to see him "But I wanted to see how this generation of brats would be faring!"  
The next day, the two jinchuuriki were in the official tribune as body guards for their leader, Roshi wearing a hitai-ate he hadn't donned in years.

The Hokage had taken a look at the kirin and monkey who were lazying on the nearest roof, Iwa symbol around their neck and about the size of an Inuzuka nin-ken, and gained an amused smile "Well, I guess you've met my most regular head-ache."  
The expression made all the Suna and Iwa shinobi laugh, leaving only the Raikage and his bodyguards intrigued.  
"Since when do you all get along so well?" he grumbled "I'm not too surprised about the Kazekage but I sure as hell didn't expect the Hokage here!"  
"We all have grudges we have difficulties putting to the side, but we've decided it wasn't very constructive for the future of our villages to held on them." Raza was the one to answer "You should try too, A, it's freeing."  
The blond, nearly white-haired man grumbled but didn't answer as the announcer had started talking – and with that, the Tournament started.

¤.¤.¤

"**Fuki VS Furoi… Fight!"**  
The girl that immediately jumped into the fight in the arena was quite different from the one that had been in Konoha six months before.  
Her first move had been to sent a volley of kunai toward her opponent – and while the blond Kumo kunoichi pitched against her nimbly evaded them, she was stunned to realized all had some effects.  
"I didn't see any tags?" Tsunade mused  
"She put the seals on the blade themselves." Roshi was the one to answer, surprising her a bit "That girl has grown dangerous with her seals for one not of Uzumaki blood."  
In the arena, the other kunoichi may not have understood what had happened – she had quickly concluded that getting touche by anything the other wielded was a bad idea.

A **genjutsu** shimmered in the air, and was immediately dropped – after all, people who used **fuuinjustu** were sensitive to chakra variation, and as such rather good at detecting even the more subtle illusions…  
Soon, the two kunoichi were fighting with their fists, and if in that they were equals, the Kumo blond hadn't realized that the weapons scattered around the arena didn't all have the paralyzing and exploding effects she'd noted.  
A step back – and she stumbled, not having expected the ground to be so loose under her feet, the effect of a seal usually used for gardening that had been hidden among the more dangerous kunai…  
Fuki had jumped forward, taking advantage of her mistake, and pointing another blade under her throat.  
"I lose." Furoi admitted, the announcer loudly announcing the end of the match

The next match pitched Arata, from Suna, against a genin from Iwa.  
"He was nearly ready last time." Onoki mused as his genin was swiftly eliminated "I think you've already got one strong canditate for promotion."  
"Orochimaru's failed attack may have been a tragedy for all those who lost their life, there's no denying it gave quite a wake up call to the genin present." Raza answered

"**Tsukimaru VS Shinji… ****Fight!"**  
A call of **"Juujin bunshin!"** and two feral looking Inuzuka were standing side by side, rushing toward their opponent on all four.  
The Iwa genin on his part was rushing through rather familiar hand-signs…  
"Summoning as a genin?" Tsunade whistled "Impressive." her eyes widened as she was the beast called "Even moreso that it is _this_ contract…" she added "Didn't the Araneko clan died out?"

"They did." Onoki confirmed "Shinji is an orphan, and blood tests prooved he's not related to them… But he's also a genius, and managed to gain the Mountain Lion Boss approval." a shrug  
"Well, feline versus canine, this should be interesting." smirked Roshi  
And indeed - it was.  
Tsukimaru and her partner's **Gatsuuga** had been avoided thank's to the grey-haired genin jumping out of the way with as much grace as the feline he was working with – but far from being disappointed, Tsukimaru had only gained a wild smile at that, echoed by her adversary.

The next attack, the cougar was the one to head, ice forming under it's paws as the big feline rushed toward the Inuzuka girl – but it was Shiromaru who countered the attack with a fiery **"****Katon: Tsuuga!" **while the girl herself had taken advantage of the mist raised by the two opposing elements to send a volley of shuriken at Shinji's feet, forcing the boy to jump back, nearly colliding with his own summon.  
A genius the boy may be – he'd only been working with his summon for months at best.  
While the Inuzuka and her partners had lived and trained together for six years already.

"It really was bad luck for him to be pitched against an Inuzuka." Tsunade mused as little by little, cat and genin were pushed back "He is quite skilled."  
"He is." Onoki agreed "But still a bit green for promotion I think."  
"He is young." Raza agreed – the Iwa genin was probably the youngest of the batch of contestants  
A last exchange – and Shinji's partner was sent back to the Summoning Realm, while dangerously sharp canines were hoovering above his throat.  
"I forfeit." he called, the proctor immediately ending the match, while Tsukimaru helped him up with a smile  
"Not bad, for a feline." the Inuzuka praised with a teasing smile

The next match was pitching Shinji's team-mate against Takashi – and if the Suna genin was still stubbornly using two puppets…  
This time, he was skilled enough with and without them to win his match.  
Just like Raza had said – for the genin present, Konoha's invasion had been a violent wake up call.

Shinji's last team-mate entered the ring – and facing him, Naoki.  
"Well, that was a waste of time." Onoki rolled his eyes "I'll have to remind my jounin that they're supposed to train all three of their genin, not only the one they like!"  
"The worse is, he's punishing himself." Raza mused "After all, I doubt you won't promote Shinji… And his sensei will get stuck with the two leftovers he hasn't bothered to train properly."  
At that – even A, who'd until now kept rather silent as he observed the changed dynamic between his three fellow kage, had to laugh.  
After all – the Kazekage was right!

Oniki leaned forward as another of his genin entered the arena…  
**"****Yoshimori VS Doroi… Fight!"**  
"Well," the Tsuchikage "there's no doubt about his skills."  
"He was already rather good last time." Raza remembered "But his attitude was somewhat lacking…"  
" His jounin-sensei assures me that's changed." Onoki mused as they all focused on the on-going fight  
Doroi, the genin from Kumo was rather calm and collected – but clearly, his specialty was medical jutsu and he wasn't yet at a point where he could use that to protect himself efficiency.

The dark-haired, blue eye boy did try some genjutsu – but Yoshimaru too used them and as such detected them easily.  
A well aimed **suiton** **jutsu**, and the match was over, and Yoshimori stepping forward to help his fellow genin up.  
"Well, he's good to go." Tsunade commented with a smile - that was an attitude far different from the one the boy had demonstrated six months earlier from what she knew  
Onoki nodded, with a smile both smug and satisfied.

"**Noburo VS Karui… Fight!"**  
Once more, the Tsuchikage was clearly interested – Noburo after all had demonstrated a rather impressive mastery of taijutsu, in a style rather similar to his him, Karui, a red-head dark skinned kunoichi from Kumo was the first to rush into the fight.  
"She is skilled…" Tsunade mused as the kunoichi managed to dance around Noburo's attack and launch her own attack "Enhancing her kenjutsu with elemental jutsu as a genin isn't something everyone can do."  
"But still too hot-head." A grumbled with a sigh as the girl seemed to grow frustrated with the fact Noburo was avoiding her attack too, and made her first mistake  
And indeed – a few moments later, Noburo was managing to slip within the range of the girl, making her drop her blade with a well-aimed punch before knocking her out.

"**Karin VS Rin… Fight!"**  
"Hu… Wasn't she a Grass kunoichi last time?" Onoki couldn't help but wonder  
"She's an Uzumaki." Tsunade answered  
"Oh right, that red-head menace took over the role of Clan Head." the Tsuchikage mumbled, still remembering the impressive skills Inari had displayed in Suna  
In the arena, Karin was clearly having some difficulties against the Iwa kunoichi who favoured the sword.

"Uh. She seems still shaky on her basis." Onoki mused - it was surprising, given the skill the other Uzumaki from Konoha had demonstrated lately  
"Clearly, her taijutsu isn't bad but still only genin-level." A had to agree "Only her impressive stamina and ability to dodge have saved her."  
"That's because those bastards from Kusa didn't train her." Tsunade answered, eyes darkening as she remembered the first time she'd done a medical check-up on Karin and realized how she'd been used by the Grass shinobi "She's only got those sixth month since the last Exam under her belt."  
"Why is she here then?"

Tsunade smiled, as in the arena, Rin started to slow down "Because while she still has some gaps in her training…. She is skilled enough to be here."  
"Seals, uh." Onoki recognized "Blood seals."  
"She's a natural." Tsunade nodded  
Indeed – while Karin wasn't quite yet up there when it came to here taijutsu, she had quickly demonstrated impressive abilities in medical training and **fuuinjutsu**. If she wasn't yet as skilled as Naruto with the more complex seals, she had surpassed him when it came to using her seals in fight by using her blood as a medium.  
A's eyes were wide at the affirmation – after all, blood seals hadn't been seen in decades in the shinobi world. Not since Uzushioagakure's fall.

Rin's grey eyes hardened as she realized that she'd been touched by something – and having recognized her opponent's clan name, she came to the right conclusion.  
She jumped back, trying to localize where the seal was – but in the time it took her to find it, Karin had managed to get the drop on her thank's to a kage bunshin.  
Rin's only half-dogded the blow – but in that moment she managed to counter-attack.  
A few meters appart, the two girl eyed each other before smiling – Karin's large an infectuous Uzumaki grin, Rin's calmer but just as heart-felt.

"I think we're both done." the Iwa kunoichi mused lightly  
"Yeah." Karin agreed  
Raza nodded his approval "A reasonable decision."  
"Their mind is in the right place." Tsunade agreed "But I think Karin still should polish her basic skills a bit more, **fuuinjutsu** won't always save her."  
"Same for Rin." Onoki agreed

"**Yakumo VS Kankuro… Fight!"**  
"The clan Kurama has a new genin?" the Kazekage mused, rocognizing the insignia on her clothes "She looks to be the same age as the others, how come she wasn't in the previous Exam?"  
"She wasn't a kunoichi yet." Tsunade  
"Is something always happening in your village nowadays?" Raza mused, looking rather amused  
"Blame Yami-chan. That's what I do." the Hokage answered blandly, making Onoki snort, echoed by his two jinchuuriki bodiguards

"Yami-chan?"  
Onoki pointed toward the contestant area, where the genin, but also their jounin-sensei were assembled "That little white-haired brat that's waving at us."  
"How…" A didn't finish his sentence, not seeing the point to – there was no way she'd known they were talking about her after all  
"Yagami-san is part of those people that defies all logic." Onoki sighed, Raza agreeing solemnly by his side "As skilled as she is, I don't envy the head-aches that must come with being her Kage." he added, nodding his head in commiseration toward the Hokage

"Don't remind me about it… I thought sensei was mocking me when he told me to always have sake at hand, and be ready to seal the office whenever she came back from mission…"  
This time even the two masked Anbu that were here as her bodyguard snorted loud enough to be heard – after all, as much as they loved her, both Hound and Raven knew Tsunade was right, chaos followed young goddess' every steps.

Yakumo's match was over rather quickly – even if she was very skilled with her illusions, Kankuro had recognized her clan name easily and been ready to dispel any and all **genjutsu**…  
Not to mention, the Suna genin had skillfully hidden himself away, his puppet disgised as him having fooled for an instant the kunoichi.  
It had been more than enough – Yakumo's **genjutsu** had targeted the puppet instead of the puppeteer, and after that, he had been the one on the offensive.  
Between his mastery of his puppet, and his ability to control even the weapons scattered around the battleground with his chakra-string, Kankuro was a fearsome opponent.  
"Well, Raza, seems your last child is up for a promotion." Tsunade mused  
"Thankfully." the Kazekage agreed "I don't think I could have lasted six more months with his complaining about the fact even his younger brother was promoted..."

The next match was between an Iwa kunoichi whose skills rather unexpectedly combined **douton** **jutsu** and **medical** **jutsu** and the hot-headed blond from Kumo the Konoha genin had already encountered during their stay in the Labyrinth.  
While far from being unskilled, using a combination of **kenjutsu** and **katon** **jutsu, **the genin entered the fight underestimated the girl in front of him, and got only more and more frustrated as he didn't manage to land any lasting blow on the other genin.  
"Tch." A grumbled as the Iwa kunoichi finally managed to knock out the boy with a well-aimed **doton** **jutsu** "Can't believe this brat's attitude after all the times his sister told him not to let his temper get the best of him..."

The next match was once more opposing an Iwa versus a Kumo genin.  
Midori, the kunoichi from Iwa, was rather calm and focused, and had on top of her formation as a medic nin rather good skills at kenjutsu.  
Unluckily for her, if Omoi, her adversary, looked rather laid back – his skills truly shone with a blade in hands a lightning to his call.  
Even if she defended herself as best as she could – Midori wasn't skilled enough to win against her opponent.

And finally, the last match of the first round was called.  
**"Fuu VS Retsui… Fight!"**  
Retsui was a **suiton** jutsu specialist.  
"Well, that's the bad luck of the draw for you." Han mused as the Kumo nin was the first to attack in the arena, hand flowing through the hand-signs of a water technique  
"What would you know about that?" A couldn't help but ask "You seem to know the Konoha contingent rather well."  
"I was the jounin in charge of them." the five-tailed jinchuuriki shrugged, seeing no need to hide it "So of course I saw quite a bit of the genin's training."

"And…" whatever question A was about to ask, he didn't finish his sentence "That's girl's at least jounin-level already!" he realized  
Indeed – if the ease with which she'd escaped the water-bullet rushing toward her was something even skilled genin could achieve if they were skilled in taijutsu, what followed wasn't something just anyone would do.  
After all – it already took a skilled chuunin to cast a **"Suiton: suiryuudan no jutsu"** in normal circomstances – but right now, they were in a dusty arena, in the middle of the rather dry weather of Tsuchi no Kuni.

Being able to call that much water from only the moisture in the air – like A had said, it took jounin-level skill.  
"Yes, Fuu is very skilled, but her previous village didn't have other genin to send with her to take the exam." Tsunade explained, making the other kage note the fact she did in fact wore two hitai-ate  
"And how did you convince Takigakure to part with one of their few skilled shinobi?"  
"By chance mostly. We had a team there when a missing-nin tried to take over their village, we helped and offered the service of the Uzumaki to protect them better…"  
"And got quite the prize in exchange."  
"Fuu is her own person, not simply a prize to be exchange between villages." a shrug "She also wanted to come and meet more people her age."

¤.¤.¤

The doton users didn't take long to clean up the arena before the start of the second round.  
**"****Fuki VS Arata… Fight!"**  
The two genin were rather similar in their skill set, both having a rather comprehensive knowledge of traps and skilled with taijutsu and having already proved to possess a mind able to think on their feet and adapt during a fight.

Arata had on his side experience, as he had graduated a year before Fuki – but the kunoichi had for her her fuuinjutsu skills.  
The match was fast, and complicated – traps hidden within traps, on-the-fly changes in plans…  
By the end of it, Fuuki had finally tagged Arata with a paralyzing seal – but the boy had caught her with a similarly acting poison at the same time.  
A tie was called, and both contestants got out of the battleground amicably.

"Well, we've got two more chuunin here I'd say." A mused "Seems like the rumors about Konoha's current generation of genin weren't exaggerated."  
"They are motivated." Tsunade agreed "Having their classmates graduate and be promoted early lit a fire in this generation that is seldomly seen in times of peace."  
"All the better for them. We never know how long peace will last in our world." Onoki praised "Some of my genin could stand to find a bit of that motivation."  
"Yeah, their skills aren't lacking, but the mind to be a good leader isn't something everyone develop naturally."

"Yet it's seems you've managed rather well with your own batch of genin." Onoki added while the next two genin entered the ground  
**"****Tsukimaru VS Takashi… Fight!"**  
"Well, time to see if he's better prepared to defend against an Inuzuka this time." Kaza mused  
"He's proved already he's better than last year." Onoki mused "But enough to win against two partners that have already proved the strength their team-work?"  
Onoki was right to have his doubts, it turned out.

While it wasn't the one-sided fight his battle against Kiba had been, and Takashi had improved quite a bit his mastery over his two puppets – it was soon clear that it wasn't enough against the perfect duo between the kunoichi and her nin-ken.  
Still – despite being pushed back little by little, the Suna genin did inflict his damage on the pair, eventually knocking out Shiromaru…  
Then forfeiting.  
Raza nodded, while Onoki whistled "Well, that's three for three for you, eh Raza."  
"Indeed." the Kazekage agreed, looking rather smug – after all, like the Tsuchikage had pointed out, the three genin he'd sent for the Exam had already all earned their promotion

"**Naoki VS Yoshim****ori****… fight!"  
**The two genin eyed each other for afar for a moment, chakra flaring before they jumped into action.  
Both boys were skilled with **genjustu** – but Naoki may have the advantage of the Sharingan, Yoshimori was proving the more subtle as the Konoha genin dispelled only half of his next illusion…  
Of course, the effect wasn't seen immediately, as it had been a rather small **genjutsu**.

It was as they switched from illusions to more concrete jutsu that the effect was finally seen, the normally perfect aim of the Uchiha off by a few centimeters as the **katon** and **suiton** **jutsu** clashed.  
Still, Naoki wasn't an Uchiha for nothing, and the small deviation was enough for him to realize something was off and with a flash of **sharingan** dispel the lingering **genjutsu**.  
The next exchange, Naoki slashed through the **"Suiton: shigure!"** with a kunai propelled by a **"Fu****u****ton: reppushou!"**.  
"Wind affinity for an Uchiha?" a surprised Raza mused  
"Not much of one." Roshi corrected "But the brat wanted a hidden ace."  
"Well, it may be a simple C-Rank jutsu, he chose well." A praised "After like Raza just proved… Wind isn't an affinity people expect from an Uchiha."

The fight continued, Yoshimori and Naoki about equivalent – whenever one took the advantage, the other would somehow rise up to the challenge.  
"Chuunin material, both of them." Onoki mused "But this time, my brat is the best."  
Much as she wanted to deny it – Tsunade didn't, as she could see too that little by little, Yoshimori was taking the advantage.  
Eventually, both stopped, looking winded but not yet exhausted – and Naoki deactivated his **sharingan**, before putting away his kunai.  
"Eh. I can't win against you without doing something rash that would put me out of the competition either way." he admitted "I forfeit."  
Yoshimaru stood down too, before admitting "I'm sure taking you out would have winded me. Good match!"

"**Noburo VS Kankuro… fight!"**  
Once more, the match was rather close.  
Kankuro, even if he only had one puppet, used it better than Takashi – and Noburo was shaping out to be a taijutsu prodigy of the same kind as Lee or Neji.  
The Iwa genin was swift enough to twist and turn between the puppet's attacks – but Kankuro was adaptative enough to always dodge in time or have said puppet save him from the other shinobi's powerful **doton** **enhanced** fists.  
Finally, after a few exchanges, both genin stilled – Noburo's fist hovering near Kankuro's mid-section – and Kankuro's kunai hovering at the boy's back.  
A smile – and both stepped down, as the proctor called the tie.

Given the uneven number of contestant that had gotten out of the first round, Fuu was given a free pass for the third round, while the last match of the second round was between Omoi of Kumo and Yasuko from Iwa.  
Yasuko had already proved rather skilled in her previous match against Atsui – but Omoi had are displayed sheer genius with a blade.  
"Well, it's not that she's unskilled." A had to admit as she girl lost "I would even say she's up for promotion…"  
"Indeed. Your genin was just that much better." Onoki confirmed – and indeed, the genin's skills with a blade were about jounin-level

¤.¤.¤

And with that – the third round was starting…  
**"Tsukimaru VS Yoshimori… fight!"**  
By this point of the competition, all the shinobi remaining were clearly ready for the chuunin rank, as such, even if they were starting to feel the strain of the previous battle, the battle were only getting more and more true shows of skills.

As such, even the Inuzuka kunoichi didn't jump head-first in the battle, instead calling for a **"Juunjin bunshin"** to confuse the other.  
But Tsukimaru wasn't done – as isntead of two feral silhouette, there were now three.  
**"Kage bunshin?"** Tsunade recognized easily "Well, her chakra reserve must have progressed nicely during the month that's for sure!"  
Yoshimaru did try to make an arena-wide genjutsu to trap bother kunoichi and nin-ken – but he hadn't accounted for the kage bunshin, having mistaken it for an elemental clone.  
But it wasn't and the **genjutsu** was dispelled by it.

Reacting immediately, the Iwa genin was already rushing through the hand-signs of a suiton jutsu – but facing him, Tsukimaru and Shiro were already rushing toward him with a **Gatsuuga** that he only avoided by stopping his jutsu to jump back – directly into the **kage bunshin's** own jutsu, a rather impressive **"Katon: kaen senpuu!"** that unleashed an inferno of fire against him.  
After that – Yoshimaru was on the defensive, and while he managed to land a few blows, it was soon pretty evident he wouldn't take the upper hand again.  
Understanding that too, Yoshimaru gave his all to land one last jutsu before forfeiting, satisfied with his performance.  
Tsukimaru nodded, her eyes conveying that she was indeed impressed.  
After all – while ha hadn't really hurt Shiromaru, she doubted the nin-ken would be very effective in her next fight.

"**Omoi VS Fuu… fight!"**  
This fight – wouldn't be easy, all knew from the start, as the two concurrent were clearly the best of the tournament, and both already jounin-level skill-wise.  
Fuu, while she did use a tanto wasn't as skilled as Omoi with his own – but she was fast, probably the faster opponent he'd fought against up until now, and soon the rather laid-back Kumo nin was gaining a new glint in his eyes at was becoming pretty clear he would finally have to really work for a win.  
Fuu's smile was wild as she too realized her opponent would make her show off more skills, and while Omoi cut through her **"****Suiton: suijin!"** , she rushed through the hand-signs for summoning.

"Lucky Seven, do your thing!"  
"Sure thing!"  
_"Lucky Seven?" _Onoki repeated as a large beetle appeared – if she didn't have the typical seven wings she normally sported in her larger form, the Tsuchikage didn't have any doubt about just what had been called in the arena  
Fluttering wings sent a sea of shimmer around the arena, momentarily blinding Omoi.  
The genin, rather impressively, managed to partially parry incoming attack by Fuu, even if her kick did push him several meters away.  
**"****Kumo-ryu: damashigiri!"**  
Fuu stumbled back, having nearly fooled by the skillful deception of the Kumo kenjutsu's attack. Not letting go of his advantage, he immediately followed by three **kage** **bunshin**, raising impressed whispers in the crowd** "Ura kasumigiri!"**

The move was rather well done – the three clones forcing Fuu to jump in the air to avoid their attack, leaving her wide open for a heavy attack from the air by the real Omoi.  
Except – Omoi couldn't have accounted for Fuu's spontaneously manifesting shimmering chakra wings as soon as she was in the air, as even if Chomei was out there, most of her chakra was still within the girl.  
Twisting on himself in the air, Omoi couldn't completely dodge the aerial counter-attack from both beetle and kunoichi, a powerful water bullet sending him directly into the summon's own jutsu.

The Kumo nin reached the ground worse for the wear, but still smiling – and despite the weariness clearly starting to settle in, he didn't pause for more than a moment, sending a volley of kunai toward Chomei and rushing in the opposite direction, toward Fuu…  
Before using a seal-less **kawarimi** at the last second with one of his own kunai, landing right in front of the summon and sending her directly back into her seal with a lightning fast**"Kumo-ryu: mikazukigir****i****!"**.  
The sensation of her bijuu settling back inside her mindscape stunned Fuu for a fraction of second, just enough time for Omoi to turn back and rush toward her – but she'd already gotten a grip on herself and rushing thought the hand-signs for **"Takigakure-ryu: mizukiri no yaiba!"**.

The water blade clashed against Omoi's sword, surprising him an instant as she hadn't been that skilled with her tanto earlier – and in an instant he realized that contrarily to earlier, she was fighting with her left-hand.  
She'd led him on at the beginning of the fight by using her off-hand!  
The realization came too late, as the attack had been enough to throw his balance just enough for the next kick to throw him to the ground, while the Konoha kunoichi all but climbed on him, blade in hand.

"I forfeit." he called toward the proctor  
"That was an impressive display of skill." Raza whistled "That boy is well on his way to become a kenjustu master!"  
In the arena, Fuu had helped the boy up – then knocked him right back to the ground as he took advantage of her help to steal a kiss, making the dark-skinned girl blush a bright-red.  
"Young love." Onoki laughed, before adding "Not only a kenjustu master, but gutsy as well, to dare seduce a Konoha kunoichi!"

¤.¤.¤

While not uninteresting – the final match was rather anticlimactic compared to Fuu and Omoi's showdown, the orange-eyed girl's victory rather evident.  
"So… You're rather freely displaying a jinchuuriiki that wasn't supposed to be in your hands?" A mused, glancing Tsunade with distrust clear in his eyes "Yet the other two don't seem that bothered. What the fuck happened for all of you to suddenly be all buddy-buddy?"  
All three kage eyed each other's for a moment, then Tsunade asked "Do you want a bunch of political answers or the truth?"

The Raikage rolled his eyes, temper clearly rising "The fucking truth of course!"  
"Nearly dying together helped." Raza answered with a shrug  
"And realizing there was more to the world than petty arguments…" Onoki added with a shrug  
"Petty arguments? We're shinobi! We don't trust each other's!" A protested  
"Eh… There are force at work more dangerous than us in this world, forces that don't care about the shape of the symbol on our hitai-ate." Tsunade affirmed "We've all fought each other before, so no one has any right to keep more grudge than the other… And I'd rather work with any of you than fall in front of the bastard that would destroy us all."

It wasn't enough for the Raikage.  
Not yet.  
But a seed of doubt had been planted, and A couldn't help but comment "You're talking about someone specific."  
"We are." she agreed "All our jinchuuriki have to grow stronger, not only for their village, but to protect themselves. And our world."  
A file appeared out of nowhere, and she tossed it toward the man "Here. Take it, read it, decide for yourself."  
The Raikage eyed the file, the word "Akatsuki" in bold letter. And while all his instincts urged him not to trust the other kage, the look in their eyes was serious enough that he took it.

But for now – it was time to put this to the side, and focus back on the promotions to be handed out. With that, the kage stepped out of the VIP tribune, down toward the battleground.  
The genin were all hopeful, but rather calm as they waited together for the Kage to make their way to them in the Arena…  
Raza stepped forward first "Kankurou, Arata, Takeshi, congratulation, chuunin of Sunagakure!"  
"Omoi, Doroi, you are now chuunin of Kumogakure!" A announced next  
Tsunade followed "Naoki, Tsukimaru, Fuki, Fuu, congratulation, new chuunin of Konohagakure!"  
Finally, Onoki stepped forward too "Yoshimori, Shinji, Noburo, Rin, chuunin of Iwagakure, congratulation!"  
An approving roar was heard in the crowd, and the genin were met with what friends and family were present, and of course their jounin-sensei and fellow genin congratulating or consoling them.

Trying not to be too evident, A kept an eye on the white-haired girl that looked barely adolescent, the second jounin-sensei by her side looking nearly identical to her beyond the hair and gender…  
What he noted first – was the way the genin from Suna and Konoha amicably mingled, in a way really unusual event between allied villages.  
There had only been a couple of Exam session he hadn't attended and suddenly, the world had changed!

"So, you think he listened?" Tsunade asked her Anbu bodyguards as the Konoha contingent started to head out of town  
"Listened, yes." Hound nodded sedately "Heard…" a shrug, and Raven was the one to complete  
"Not quite yet…"  
"Had an interesting talk?" Inari asked at the exchange  
"The Raikage didn't expect to see so little animosity between our three villages."

Indeed – even if Iwa wasn't quite as friendly as Suna was toward Konoha, their attitude had already started to change, notably thanks to Kurotsuchi's own attitude.  
As young and brash as she was – the girl was also the grand-daughter of their leader, and a skilled kunoichi respected in her own right, with all the reasons to blame the shinobi from Hi no Kuni.  
If she could change – quite a few of them took it to mean they too could.

**[Life Quest Complete! T****rials in the Land of Earth****...**  
_the chuunin __exams are back again, and held in Iwagakure this time around, where plenty of adventures for all awaits..._  
**Goal complete:** Chuunin Exam first test complete** (****2****/****2****)**  
**Goal ****complete****:** Chuunin Exam second test complete **(2/****2****)  
****Bonus goal complete: **help lessen the animosity between villages  
**Hidden goal complete:** meet with Iwa's jinchuuriki **(2/2)**  
**Bonus goal complete:** befriend Kurotsuchi  
**Goal:** gain a promotion via the Chuunin exam **(****4****/****6****)  
****Hidden goal complete: **alert A about the Akatuski's risk**  
...**

**Reward: **8*10XP, +4 Perk Point  
**Bonus reward:** +2*20XP, +1 Elemental Skill Book  
**Hidden reward:** +3*20XP, +1 B-rank Jutsu to be chosen, +250 000 ryo shared between **Inventory**]

[**Konoha jounin** Level up!  
**You** are now level 102_(+__1__lv_ _+2CP, +__1__0SP), _**Kagami** is now level 123_(+__1__lv), _**Inari** is Level max]  
**[Team****12** level up!  
**Naoki** is now level 65_(+__3__lv), _**Tsukimaru** is now level 65_(+__2__lv),_ **Fuuki** is now level 65_(+__3__lv__)_]  
**[Team****15** level up!  
**Yakumo** is now level 50_(+3lv), _**Karin** is now level **52**_(+3lv),_ **Fuu** is now level 73_(+2lv)_]

They arrived back in Konohagakure not a day too soon – something rather unexpected had been uncovered during their time in Iwa…  
If Sarenhes had quenched his thirst thanks to Yagami when in the desert, the time came eventually for the vampire to have to find sustenance once more. Of course, since they'd known it would come, Ren had been nearby to help – only to realize that not only his blood didn't help, but on the contrary was nearly toxic for the man of Mu!  
Volunteers had been found to help, as apparently regular humans worked as well as they always had – that is to say quenching his thirst, but for far less time than Yagami's own blood.

While they weren't quite sure, it was rather easy for those that knew about all the concerned holy nature to have a guess, all but confirmed when Anko an Sasuke's blood proved particularly effective… It was paradoxically yet somewhat logically the touch of Death that sustained better the man, and conversely, the very Life imbued within Ren's own blood was naturally dangerous for the only specimen of the undead species currently existing on the planet.  
The young goddess didn't waste any time – and the day following her return, Anko and Sasuke had met with Sarenhes and her in the underground room they'd already prepped while she was away.

¤.¤.¤

Yagami was rather anxious – she knew they'd done all the research they could, it was still the first time she would voluntarily mess with the soul of not only an immortal, but a true deity.  
While she'd already modified some immortal souls with the bijuu, it had been much more a matter of **Soul** and** Revolutionary Art **than **Abyssine** **Art**, since it had included giving a soul to the beasts born from Kaguya's powers, and change those souls into Holy Servants from the Immortal Realms to cope with the immortality they inevitably had gained from the source of their origin.  
But – as much as they had the nearest thing to a god's eternal life, they weren't quite eternal since Kaguya, or even another god, could unmade them.  
On the other hand…

Sarenhes was a true god.  
Inari and Ren of course, knew what their mother and mate was doing – but in this case neither could help because of their link too strong with Life.  
Sasuke and Anko had spent quite a bit of time during the month Yagami spent in Iwa learning how to harness the variation of chakra that was the evolution of Reiki – and it had been rather destabilizing, as both were far more accustomed to use their chakra for battle. Had both been adept at fuuinjutsu, it would have been less strange for them – but they had managed nonetheless, their reputation of prodigies proving true once more.

And finally, all four were in the underground room, the two holy servants in two small secondary circles framing a third, far large circle where both deities were standing, Sarenhes nearly naked, with quite a bit of sealing on his body too, the complicated blood-written **fuuin** rather logically centered over where the eight gates of the chakra system would be in someone who did have a chakra circulatory system.  
Around them, the three circles flared to life, and with them, Shadow's own powers, a storm of gold and green barely held in check and focused by the heavy seal-work.  
Anko and Sasuke, focused on their own parts, still noticed as once more, Yagami's eyes took the shape of the sharingan – but for the colors, and ethereal powers. As for the goddess herself, all her attention was focused on Sarenhes, and even beyond the other god, seeing something only she could.

And indeed – not even Sarenhes could see the world around them like she did thanks to her **Revolutionary** **Art**, and the unique way it twisted and linked to her fellow Earth-bound deity.  
Between the powers of Death and Chaos, no one else could see the world and the people like she currently was, and suddenly, the soul-meddling that had so worried her mere moments before was simple and evident, the seals around her needed more to restrain her powers and keep them from overwhelming her mortal body than anything else…  
In the middle of the circle, Death and Chaos surged, and the god's scream of pain was blood-curling, as he was kept upright only thanks to Yagami's firm grasp around his waist.

**[Hallows** skill reached level **70****/100!**  
**Chaos** skill reached **40/50!]**

Three more tails split in Yagami's back, as Sarenhes and her fell to the ground, unconscious – on each side, Sasuke and Anko had fallen on their knees too, and while still awake, were both edging on chakra exhaustion.  
Then, as Inari and Ren barged into the room, a rain of notifications appeared for all to see.

**[****Hidden Quest Complete! ****Old and New ****World…**  
_You've __healed an old friend…_  
**Goal complete:** Sarenhes now has a working Chakra System  
**Bonus Goal complete: **you've used Fuuinjutsu to help offset the Divine Powers effects on you  
**Hidden Goal complete: **You've used the help of Holy Servants to help offset the Divine Powers effects on you  
**Hidden Goal complete:** you've unlocked your first affiliated deity  
**Reward: **+40XP, Sarenhes unlocks **Chaos Game ****4.0**, +10SP  
**Bonus Reward: **+25XP, +1PP  
**Hidden Reward: **+2*160XP, +2*20SP]

**[Level up!** You are now level 105!  
_6CP, +30SP]_

**[****Holy System **update!  
**Sarenhes of Mu** _(minor __planet-bound __deity__, level max)_ is now affiliated to you]

**[****Main Characteristic** update!  
Your species is now set to **Ookami Daiyoukai / ****Major****Fire Element / Ryu Hanyou / ****Child of ****a New World**  
**Ookami True ****F****orm **_(you may look human, you aren't)_ is now unlocked  
**Elemental ****Core**_(__the source of life of an element isn't their vital organ)_ is now unlocked  
**Soul Shade **_(__the flames of your soul have awakened)_ is now unlocked  
**Chakra System **_(__the source of life and power of everyone born since the Disaster__)_ was already unlocked]  
**[Sarenhes Main Characteristic** update!  
Sarenhes species is now set to**Muhan / ****Vampire / ****Child of a New World**  
**Soul Shade **_(__the flames of your soul have awakened)_ was already unlocked  
**Blood Singer** _(__the source of you life now lies in your veins)_ was already unlocked  
**Chakra System **_(__the source of life and power of everyone born since the Disaster__)_ is now unlocked

**[****Chaos Game** update!  
**Soul Shade Skill Line** unlocked  
**Soul Shade Perks** unlocked  
_Powers of old that have laid dormant for __centuries are now ready to be awakened again by those __who will find them__]_

It was the first time, Ren mused as his son and him helped the four participants of the ritual – the first time that the effect of an update from **Chaos Game** was felt so clearly by all…  
But this time, he'd felt the knowledge at the background of his mind, still partially leashed by Chaos' bindings, snap to the front, while the bond he's thought broken with reincarnation fell back in place.  
While Ren didn't have the mastery over his **Soul Fire** Ryoichi or Renato had – the bond between Sun and Sky had suddenly reappeared, like a song that had been in the background, nearly forgotten, for too long, that suddenly rose once more.  
A feeling of home and harmony.

¤.¤.¤

But Ren wasn't the only one to feel it.  
Beyond space – on another world entirely – a regal dragon felt the Storm within his soul hum in relief, a deadly shiro inu's violet Cloudy flames roared in satisfaction, a powerful Holy Servant felt the ocean of blue fire in his soul fell once more in a familiar rhythm he'd never forgotten, a Fae with misty eyes and a soul just as Misty laughed in happiness at the feeling of not being alone once more…  
In her coma, Yagami's frowned as her soul felt a missing bond – but the grimace didn't last very long, as she had promised long ago to let go of those who had to meet her Brother.

On Gaia, four of the most important people alive on the planet assembled in a shiro older than life on the planet.  
"She's back." a smile "Our Sky is back." Silvana Argento smiled happily – and if there were tears in her eyes, no one was crass enough to point it out  
"Just like you had foretold, Queen of the Four Courts." Sesshoumaru added, voice rather calm – but the joy burning in his eyes impossible to miss  
"When shall we go?" Ryukossei asked, anticipation barely contained in his voice  
And – there was no doubt they would go.

"This Sesshoumaru's heirs have taken over the ruling of his lands a long time ago." the daiyoukai answered, the slip into old speech one more proof of how little control he had over his own emotions right now  
"The Fae don't really need that much supervision," Silvana waved her hands in dismissal as she affirmed this "but my daughter is still more than up to the task."  
The ryu shrugged "Elder Long I may still be, there aren't all that much of my kind left in Gaia anymore." he pointed out "All my duties are now calling me back to Earth."  
All eyes turned to the Holy Servant, who rolled his eyes "All the Shinigami under my orders know better than to disobey Death's laws, but I still have a replacement ready, of course." an amused smile "Even if she is going to be jealous, Botan knows that we have the advantage of having access to the Immortal Realms."

It was true – and it was the other reason why they had all known that they would see their Sky again. KoEnma, as the main Holy Servant in charge of Death's duty on their planet, had been able to communicate with his patron deity once he'd been separated from Reikai, and while Death couldn't told him much, the god had told him the most important.  
Taishou Tsukiko – his Sky and Alpha – had become Earth-bound during the Disaster, and had finally been reincarnated on the very same planet.  
The young goddess – had a harsh destiny ahead of herself in their old world…  
But because she had ascended a second time, their bonds weren't broken.

And so – they'd prepared patiently.  
For the time she would be reborn, and powerful enough once more to call them home.  
And finally – finally – after twenty-five centuries, the time had come.  
Of course, going back to their old world wouldn't be a simple undertaking, nor a short one, but what were a few more months or years after all this time?

¤.¤.¤

While on another planet old friends prepared, Shadow slept.  
Days turned into weeks and months, the House of Moon and all the shinobi she'd made bonds with came to visit her, and left again for missions, and still she slept.  
This time – Ren wasn't the murderous bundle of nerves he'd often been whenever his mate had overused her powers in a Divine Act.

Not that he liked the fact she had to once more use powers that were dangerous for her body, of course. But Chaos had warned him that this would be a dangerous incarnation, and while of course using so much Divine Powers ad put a heavy strain on the young goddess, he could also feel the changes that had been wrought to her body…  
Yagami – was barely Yagami anymore, more and more of Tsukiko's old powers breaching through, and he had no doubts that by the time she did what Chaos had asked of her and sealed Kaguya's powers, she would be the closest to Shadow she could be in the Mortal Realm.

To keep his mind off his sleeping mate, Ren had been quick to find himself a side hobby beside his missions with Kagami.  
And it just so happened that in her latest bout of Godly Powers, she had changed the world…  
Not, of course, that most people realized it – it was still at its beginning.  
But now that he knew his own flames once more, he could also feel the faint echoes of **Soul Fire** in all people around him – stronger most of the time among shinobi, of course, the will to survive being something quite a lot of them understood well…

His knowledge of Flames also let him realize something rather quickly - that just like most of the gifts of the old world, **Soul Fire** had changed since the disaster. As such – he refrained from saying to much about them to the multitude of **Chaos Game** holder they were surrounded with, instead letting them look into the topic by themselves, and doing the same himself – approaching the gift of his first life as a shinobi rather than a hitman.  
**Soul Fire** – was still as powerful as it had been back in the days – but in a world of chakra, that wasn't life changing, merely new even if still useful. And more interestingly, the Flames that used to resonate with the Ley Lines now echoed within the very body of it's user.  
Neji and Lee had been the one to approach him about the new power first – and it was soon clear why…

Each of the Gates Lee could open in his taijutsu style were linked to a type of flame, so Neji in his sparring with the chuunin, had soon realized that something more was happening now that **Soul Fire** had awakened, since he could quite literally see that something new was happening within the other's chakra system.  
With Lee as a starting point, Neji had started to observe a bit more people around him – Ren telling him which Flame he felt from them, and it had been rather easy to pair each Flame with a Gate: Kaimon the gate of opening was more open in Sun Flame bearer while Ren himself had the gate all but permanently opened. In the same way, Kyuumon, the gate of healing pertained to Lightning Flames, Seimon the gate of life to Rain Flames, Shoumon the gate of pain to Storm Flames, Tomon the gate of limit to Mist Flames, Keimon the gate of view to Cloud Flames, Kyoumon the gate of wonder to Sky Flames.

As for the last gate – Shimon, the gate of death.  
No living being had been seen with that gate active.  
Of course, Ren had had his own insight on the topic – and an activation of byakuyan in the room where two deities slept on was enough to confirm his thoughts…  
The last gate was wide open in Yagami, and partially in not only Sarenhes but Inari too.  
There was only one type of Flames the hitman could think of that fit those three – the Black Flames of death used by the Vindice, flame no living being could use; but of course, the three deities weren't mere living being, they were all touched by Death…

As for why Lee's usage of the Eight Gates was so different of their effect when it came to Flames – part of it was the fact the boy could forcefully open them all, while on the contrarily learning to awaken their Flame naturally opened them for a **Soul Fire** user.  
It naturally meant that Lee's way was much more dangerous, and difficult to learn – but more powerful when in use. It also meant that the boy was the first to get a handle on what Flames should feel like and learn to call them – and that he was the only person they knew that possessed an equal affinity for all seven Flames living being could use.

By the time the next chuunin Exam came by, to be held in Kumo, all of **Chaos Game** players had managed to awaken their Flames – and even those without the convenient tool were either well on their way or Active too.  
Kurenai, Asuma and Inari had also agreed on mixing their team to have two three-man cells - and they were going to Kumo, for the first time since the failed attempt at kidnapping Hinata when she was a child.  
It was a risky move – even moreso that A was still wary of the new-gained understanding between villages Iwa, Suna and Konoha had demonstrated the previous time – but one necessary to prove to the Raikage they had no intention to discriminate against him, and remind him of the threat he'd been warned about.

So Inari would be jounin-sensei for Yakumo, Karin and Tenten, while Asuma would lead Shino, Ino and Chouji for the duration of the event, with Ren tagging along as Diplomatic Envoy.  
Some had been a bit surprised at the fact the jounin didn't seem to mind to much heading out for a mission that would be lasting several weeks while Yagami was still in a coma – but it was Sasuke that held the answer.

Sasuke – that just like Ren had an all-encompassing Sky that felt like home, even with one mostly hidden away in the depth of Anbu Headquarter and the other traveling around with a Sannin.  
Because really – there had never been any doubt about the fact that Naruto's was the Sky to Sasuke's Clouds…  
And a bond that reached so deep within their soul – it meant they didn't need to be by each other's side always, because they knew that they'd always find each other's again when needed.

And indeed – Ren hadn't even faltered as in the middle of the month long training period between the two first tasks and the Tournament that would conclude the chuunin Exam, he felt familiar Flames flares – and Yagami's awakening.  
He'd simply smiled.

* * *

**[Yagami **/ Age 9(15) / Level 105  
**Physical Main Stat 133(223): **Strength 38(70) / Agility 72(119) / Endurance 23(34)  
**Spiritual Main Stat 155(232):**Intelligence 62(95) / Will 37(51) / Wisdom 56(86)  
**Social Main Stat 114(199): **Presence 21(33) / Perception 54(92) / Luck 39(74)  
**Secondary Stat: **  
Health Points 358(582) / HP regen/min 3,62(6,62) / Chakra Points 762 / CP regen/min 8,56  
Damage 48,2(93,2) / Defense 27,5(49,8) / Reaction Speed 57,3(93,5)  
Chakra control 43,4(65,4) / Chakra Density 42,7(67,7) / Mind Speed 60,2(92,3)  
Critic Chance 23,4(60,2) / Critic Damage Multiplier 18,8(69), Loot Bonus 38,4(69,4)]

**[Tsukimaru**/ Age 12 / Level 65]  
**[Naoki**/ Age 12 / Level 65]  
**[Fuki**/ Age 12 / Level 65]

**[Fuu**/ Age 15 / Level 73]  
**[Yakumo**/ Age 12 / Level 50]  
**[Karin**/ Age 16 / Level 52]

**[Kagami**/ Age 68 / Level 123]


End file.
